A Mist Over Winhill
by Kate Lorraine
Summary: A AU story. What would happen if Laguna died instead of Raine? Complete
1. Default Chapter

**A Mist Over Winhill **

Disclaimer - all characters in this story belong to SquareSoft. No infringement is intended.

The twisted storyline was used with permission of Tamerine, author of FF7 Twisted, whose idea originated from Kaitlin K, writer of FF6-another reality. Tamerine, you will always and forever be, my favorite fanfiction writer.

**Prologue - Fated Children **

Raine turned her face to the sky where the large pale moon peaked out from behind the morning clouds. Rays of sun crept along the bluffs, clothing each blade of grass with a dress of gold. It was hard to believe that it had already been two years since Laguna had left her. She remembered the last time she had seen him alive - his brow arched, eyes glittering, as he grabbed her by the waist and sealed his fate with one last kiss. Now, ironically, two years later, this was to be the last time she would see him dead.

It was too dangerous here, for her to remain anymore. In her arms her son had just woken up from his uneasy rest. He twisted his head around and glanced over the bluff, as his small clenched fist rubbed his sleep veiled eyes. His fuzzy strands of brown hair waved gently in the liquid wind of the morning air.

"Mama, are we going to visit daddy again?" He asked her speaking in a awkward voice but in raw honesty.

Raine hugged him to her and inhaled the natural delicate perfume that only children had. It was like a cross between the freshly bloomed lilac and the bumble bee's gold treasure. He was like a bundle of things hard and soft in her embrace. And although she might not ever return here to see the granite marker of where Laguna laid in eternal rest, she would always have her child to remind her of the brave misunderstood man that had been her husband.

"Squall," Raine whispered as she stroked his hair back. "We're going to say goodbye to daddy today alright?"

He nodded and said nothing more as she began walking down the worn path into the heart of the Winhill bluffs. He was too quiet, too understanding for a child only halfway through his second year in existence. Perhaps she had done something wrong. Living in constant fear of Adel's wrath couldn't be good for him. It was all the more reason why she had decided to leave.

"Mama," Squall interrupted suddenly. "Who's that?"

Raine turned her eyes to where he was pointing and she was taken back in shock. There was someone already standing at Laguna's grave. It was impossible. No one came to this forsaken place except her. Was it too late? Had Adel sent her cronies to finish the job they started? Raine hugged Squall tighter in her arms hoping that she wasn't hurting him in her sudden need for comfort. Yet as she walked closer she began to realize that her fear had been exaggerated. It was just a woman standing there with a man beside her.

The woman turned around suddenly, hearing the light footsteps behind her. For a moment she looked startled as though she had just caught a mysterious intruder in her bedroom. The man beside her had a rough arrogant look as though he refused to tolerate this rude visitor that had come disturbing their quiet reverie. The little dark haired girl he was holding was sucking her thumb in complete nonchalance.

"I'm . . .sorry," the woman said as she eyed Raine and her child. "I know we don't belong here but . . .I needed to see for myself that he was really . . . gone."

Raine felt her persona spreading over her exterior like a layer of ice under her skin. A moment of serene sorrow had just inverted into a awkward confrontation. She was in no mood for this.

The woman reached over with a gloved hand.

"Hi, I'm Julia Heartilly." She gestured to the man, "my husband and my daughter."

Raine unwillingly reached over and shook her hand. Julia Heartilly, the singer. So Laguna hadn't been bluffing when he boasted of having met her.

"Who's the little gentleman?" Julia asked smiling fondly.

Raine shifted her grip on her son.

"This is my son, Squall. Squall, say hello."

"Hello," he said under his breath, his tiny hand thoughtlessly playing with the fabric of her white sweater as he curiously watched the little girl who was trying to hid her face in the nook of her father's arm.

Julia reached over and pulled the tiny pale faced girl from her husband.

"Rinoa, say something." Julia ordered playfully.

"Mommy, his eyes are on me." She said fearfully.

Julia laughed heartily. She shook her head absently in her mirth. Handing the little doll back to her husband she apologized gingerly.

"She listens to my songs too much. It must be bad for her." Julia turned her attention back to her husband. "Take her for a walk. Let me be for a while." Her husband nodded obediently, eagerly taking his little angel back into his embrace. Julia watched the duo walk away before she began to speak. "Is it true what they say? That he was killed by Estharian soldiers?" Julia asked sadly after a moment's contemplation.

Raine felt Squall falling back to sleep over her shoulder. She rubbed his back tenderly as she glanced at the stone on which Laguna's name was carved. "Yes," Raine said. "He wouldn't let them take my daughter, Ellone."

Julia nodded pressing her hand against her mouth in a gesture that was a cross between horror and sadness. "He was a hero. I haven't met too many men like him. He was so full of dreams, of energy. He's the type of man that gets immortalized in works of art. I'm just glad . . .that I met him." Julia said.

There was absolute silence for a moment.

"He's my child's father. I loved him." Raine said, bluntly.

Julia looked up, smiled and nodded. "I see him in Squall. I-" Julia stopped in mid sentence as she heard a scream explode behind her. Julia turned around, her mouth agape as she realized her husband and daughter had disappeared from view. Almost tripping in her haste, Julia began to run in the direction of that scream.

Raine stared where she stood, not sure if she should help or if she would be putting Squall in danger should she follow. The good Samaritan in her suddenly overcame her motherly instinct as she began to move her feet after Julia.

A figure grabbed her from behind.

Raine turned around, frozen in shock.

In her arms, Squall began to cry.


	2. chapter1

Chapter 1 - Song of the Siren

Seifer Almasy was never one to fear Duel Hill, as some of the Garden students called it. He had always walked this path eagerly, itching to slit open someone's pride with his flashing gunblade. Today however, he felt nervous. He clenched his right hand around the reassuring weight of his gunblade. It felt different, walking this rugged path up to the clearing at the top of the mountain today. For once he began to feel a measure of doubt. Maybe he would be better off if he turned back and went to the safety of the Garden. 

Seifer stalled for a while, dusting his pants free of the nonexistent dust. He looked back at the rocky path down. He had never retreated before. Why was it so hard to keep pressing forward? Yet, it was pointless to try and fool himself into thinking of it as another duel. This was a meeting he had put a lot of thought into. The outcome could change his life forever. One dream, one chance. 

Seifer stepped courageous over the rocky divide into the crater where he had won so many duels in the past. Yet today his opponent was not armed. 

"Rinoa, you're early." He said. 

She got up lazily from the place where she was crouching. She tossed her hair back and straightened her dress. She looked up at him with a expression of absolute seriousness. "So, have you made your decision, Seifer? Edea and I are not about to wait forever." She pressed her lips together and placed her hands on her hips. 

Seifer scratched his head. "The SeeD exams . . ." he began. 

Rinoa sighed and threw her hands up in disgust. " Seifer, you will never be a member of SeeD. They will never let you. Can't you see that they've sabotaged your future since the moment you stepped foot in Garden? You are a gifted warrior, you have never lost a duel, never stepped down from a fight. Yet, year after year, idiots, one group each more dull-witted than the one before are recruited into SeeD. Give up on SeeD, Seifer, you are just wasting your time." Rinoa suddenly quieted down as she bit her lower lip in a look of sadness. 

"Think back to the summer we spent together, Seifer. Remember your dream? I always told you that I knew that if anyone deserved the love of the world it would be you. Well, now the opportunity is banging at your door. If you turn your back on me now the door will be closed. Silent forever." 

Seifer said nothing. He turned to her, seeing her standing there, innocent, pure as virgin snow. No wonder she was Edea's most prized companion. She truly earned her title as the Angel of Death. Just as well as he knew, that as much as he hated being manipulated by her, that he really did love her. 

Seifer said nothing for a moment before he finally spoke again, sounding more like himself. 

"Rinoa, two days is all I ask. Will you give me two days to make this decision while will alter my future forever?" 

Rinoa drew back and nodded. "Yes Seifer, you should take your time and think. Remember that you can never turn your back on Edea. No one is allowed into the confidence of a sorceress and allowed to leave afterwards." She smiled suddenly. "But look on the bright side, you'll be with me forever." She reached over and took him by the arm, caressing him gently with her fingertips as a playful smile played on her pale lips. "That is what you want isn't it? Summer after summer, together forever." 

Seifer tried to draw his arm back but found that she held him tight. He smirked at her, trying his best to appear as confident as he always used to be. 

"I'm not doing this for you, Rinoa. This is for my dream remember?" 

She laughed as though he had said something utterly hilarious. Reaching over, she kissed him running her fingers through his short golden hair. When he finally pulled back she kept him close, his lips an inch away from hers. 

"Meanie," she said. 

He chuckled. 

"Two days," she reminded him.

Squall Leonhart walked down the quiet somber hallways of Balamb Garden. Outside, soft needles of rain splattered against the windows where lazy students sat studying or talking. As he walked he could hear the gentle murmuring of teachers from within the classrooms where instruction was taking place. He glanced into one of the rooms and remembered how only a year ago he was one of them. He was a SeeD now, he would never have to attend one of those simplistic tiresome lectures again. Now that he was free from that shackle he found it hard to imagine how he ever endured it. 

He had believed a year ago that when he became a SeeD he would finally be at peace with the memory of his mother. He wanted to fulfill her expectations of greatness. Of how she had told him his father had once been. Still, no matter how much he tried, since her death, he simply could not shake the fact that he couldn't. His father had given his life to protect his sister Ellone, and for that his memory would always be gilded in gold, encased in marble preserved like some eerie perversion of reality. It wasn't what he wanted for himself. 

"Squall? Where are you going?" Xu asked, coming up to him from behind. 

Squall turned to her, annoyed that he was suddenly forced to participate in a conversation. 

"Nowhere." He said as tritely as he could. 

"Squall," Xu said, hesitating as though she regretted what she was about to say. "Ellone wants to talk to you. Perhaps, you should stop avoiding her." 

He felt violated suddenly. What right did Ellone have to bring a stranger into their own private feud? 

Xu spoke up again as he did not reply. "Squall, maybe you should attend the dance at the end of the week. It will be good for you. You seem so down all the time." 

"I'm not." He replied. 

Xu giggled nervously. "Yes you are. Please Squall? You never do anything with the rest of us." 

Squall said nothing but was suddenly relieved of his obligation to respond when a student, running down the hall, crashed into him. She fell back onto her bottom as a few of the books she had slid across the floor. Xu reached over to gather the books for her as she clumsily got to her feet. She scratched her head and looked at Squall. 

"I'm sorry for crashing into you. I'm new here." 

"Here," Xu said, handing her the books she dropped. "Maybe Squall can show you around, you don't have anywhere important to go, right Squall?" 

Squall scowled, realizing that he was trapped 

"Alright, come on." Squall said with a gesture of his hand. 

Xu rolled her eyes as she watched Squall lead the girl away.

"This is the directory," Squall said as he showed her to the computer at the entrance of Garden. "You'll find everything you need here." The girl with the curling brown hair nodded, her hair bouncing as she moved. 

"I'm taking the SeeD exam tomorrow and I feel like such a klutz. This probably isn't good for me. Do you know anything about what the field tests are like?" 

Squall shrugged, turning his attention back to the directory. "They're not easy. Pay attention to the orders you are given. That's all." 

She watched him. Her lips turning into a mock frown. "You don't talk much do you?" 

Squall turned his eyes back to her. "Here, I've shown you how to use it already. I trust that you will have no problems. I need to meet someone at the front gate so I'll be going." 

She nodded, somewhat shocked by his sudden departure. "Alright. I'm sure I'll figure it out. Thanks for the help." 

Squall gave her a nod as he turned his back and left. At the front gate he saw Cid standing there. The old headmaster motioned for him to come closer as he caught sight of Squall. "Squall, come walk with me. We have some things to talk about." Squall began to walk beside him as they casually stroll about the perimeter of Garden. 

The headmaster looked over to the east and nodded. "The SeeD field tests start today. A few of the students have already gone to Ifrit's cavern. I'm sure you remember how that was like. It was only a year ago, right?" Squall frowned as he placed his hands into his pockets, impatiently waiting for Cid to get to his point. 

"Yes." He said. 

"You've really achieved a lot in a year Squall. The people here admire you. I admire you. You should be very proud." Cid said with a smile. 

" . . . . . " 

"Alright, let me get to my point. I think Galbadia is up to something suspicious. They have taken over Dollet, a small seaside town which can't be of any benefit to them. I want you to lead a few SeeD candidates to investigate." 

"SeeD candidates?" Squall asked, somewhat insulted. 

Cid smiled fondly, the few wrinkles on his ancient skin showing as he formed his amiable expression. "They're pretty promising ones. I trust they will be as good as any SeeD member. Anyway, with you as a leader I know it wouldn't matter if I sent a batch of chocobos. You always get the job done to perfection." 

Squall did not respond. He contemplated Cid's proposal. He had never led a SeeD exam before. It would be a nice change from the mundane missions he always embarked on. 

"I'll do it, but just this once." Squall said crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Great!" Cid said happily as he reached over and patted Squall on the shoulder. "I just want you to know that you should be careful. We have no idea what the Galbadians are up to. No backing out now." Cid warned with a coy look on his age weary face. 

"What do you mean? Do you have something in store for me?" Squall asked suspiciously. 

"No it's nothing. Be at the entrance of Garden tomorrow morning." Cid said as he walked away as fast as he could. 

Squall stood there watching the old man leave. Somehow, he was beginning to regret his decision.

Rinoa nervously walked into the room of Edea's residence in Deling City. She stood there respectfully as Edea brushed her hair in front of the mirror. As Rinoa watched her hair flare with red strands of energy, she felt a degree of security. Rinoa had been the only sorceress in Deling until Edea arrived. Her father had succeeded in keeping it a secret from the public but she had failed to keep it a secret from herself. Her loneliness had been horrible as she bore the curse of her kind each and every day. 

Edea had found her a year ago, and the secret had been out since then. Rinoa knew that she owed a lot to the powerful sorceress. Her father had been the general of the Galbadian army but his position had been on thin ice as his health began degrading. Ever since she was two he had developed some heart problems. Their origins were unknown to her, he never spoke about it. She had grown apart from him since her mother, Julia, died but she could not leave him. She was afraid each time she saw him that it might be her last. Yet lately, since the sorceress came, his health had improved. 

It was an ordinary day when that extraordinary incident happened to her. She remembered nothing of it except of the moment when she came to the presidential mansion to fetch her father. It was late at night. He always stayed later than his health or her patience allowed. Yet that day as she happily pushed him to the door in his wheelchair someone stopped her. 

"There is something different about you," Edea had remarked as she stepped past president Deling and walked over to survey her. Rinoa had kept her eyes down. Her father reached up and took her hand. 

"I know she's different." He said in complete seriousness. "She's really an angel in disguise." 

Rinoa had smiled then, despite her fear. She glanced up at Edea and realized that she was no ordinary woman. Edea's hair was hidden inside of a crown of sorts. There were two gold plates which covered her ears and a large curling horn that emerged from the right side. Her feather collar shifted as she walked closer. Rinoa glanced at her low neckline, at the pale tight skin at the base of her throat. Her earring clicked quietly as she tilted her head. With one gloved hand she reached out and lifted Rinoa's face by gently placing pressure on her chin. Rinoa looked into her eyes then. They were yellow like the newly bloomed daffodil in the garden behind her father's emerald mansion. Edea smiled, revealing a row of white teeth. 

"Child, you are a sorceress." She said simply and bluntly. 

Rinoa felt as though she had just been thrown into a river of ice. She froze unable to say a word. 

"Edea-" the general began but was interrupted when Edea began to laugh. 

"You hide it as though being a sorceress was a terrible affliction." Edea hugged her then, a gesture Rinoa was completely unprepared for. 

"Child, poor mislead child who has lost her mother, I'll show you what a sorceress is truly capable of." 

Since then things had changed. Instead of hiding in the shadows, Rinoa became the sorceress's angel. She was finally with her own kind. Her father disapproved of it at first, but reluctantly agreed when he finally saw her flushed with excitement at her newly found freedom. 

The Angel of Death, they called her that behind her back. Pitiful humans, with one swing of her arm she could put them in ground, silenced forever. Nothing anyone thought mattered anymore. 

"Almasy is not here. Has he declined?" Edea asked as she placed her brush down on her vanity table. In the oval mirror Rinoa saw her own reflection, standing by the door behind the sorceress. 

"No," Rinoa said trying to project her soft voice across the room so that she would sound assertive. "He wants to take his chances with the SeeD exam." When Edea did not reply she quickly began to elaborate. "He failed two years in a row already. He won't make it this time. His cockiness forbids it." 

Edea looked straight into the mirror and Rinoa felt a chill snake down her spine as she caught the reflection of the yellow eyes in the mirror. 

"Make sure he fails that exam, Rinoa. I will not have him a SeeD." Rinoa nodded as she heard Edea's voice grow soft as she began to fiddle with a few random objects on her vanity table. "After he fails, test him. Take him to Balamb Garden, order him to kidnap the headmaster. Make sure you are not recognized. Make them believe he acted alone . . .with a couple of worthless associates which I will supply." Rinoa nodded obediently, once more. "Oh and one more thing, Rinoa. While he is completing his task, keep an eye on a certain SeeD. He is a threat to our plans. Make sure he stays out of Almasy's way." 

"A SeeD?" Rinoa asked slightly insulted. So she was left to court soldiers now. She was a sorceress not a harlot. 

Edea turned then to meet Rinoa's eye. 

"This is no ordinary mission." Edea assured her. 

Rinoa decided not to argue. "I would never seek to question your judgement, Edea." 

"His name is Squall Leonhart." 

"I understand." Rinoa said. She cocked her head to one side as the name echoed through her head. 

_Squall Leonhart._

The name had a nice ring to it. She wondered who he was, what he looked like, what terrible crime he had committed for Edea to send her after him. She caught herself then, pondering the mystery of this name, and realized how utterly ridiculous it was. She hated SeeDs, the SeeDs were a group of mercenaries that pillaged and plundered the world without regards to right or wrong. For all the fuss around her being the Angel of Death, Rinoa did not believe that she was more ruthless than the SeeDs. At least when she killed it was for a cause. They killed to be paid in blood drenched gil. Squall Leonhart, he too would probably shoot a wide eyed orphan if someone paid him. 

Yet somehow that just seemed so wrong. Looking at her confusion ridden eyes, Edea began to speak again. 

"He must be treated with caution, Rinoa." Edea continued. "Eventually we will eliminate him but as for now, befriend him, flirt with him, make him trust you. Remember Rinoa, what I said to you a year ago. We are sorceresses, all we have is each other. Mortals are inferior, they are simple narrowed minded beings unable to see past their own need gratification. You have grown up among them, that's why you feel such sympathy towards their lot, but Rinoa, never forget that deep beneath their smooth golden facade lies a heart of darkness. You are a sorceress, chosen by the Great Hyne to stand beside her and be her raging angel. The savage ruthless mortal will never be your equal and for that he will always seek your destruction." 

"Why are you reminding me of this, Edea?" Rinoa asked. "What have I done to lead you to believe that I think otherwise? I feel no compassion for Squall Leonhart or Seifer Almasy. A word from your lips and I will rip either one's heart from his chest without hesitation. I am your angel, your puppeteer, your unwavering protector. I will never be anything else." 

Edea raised her eyebrow and pressed her lips together in a look of curiosity. "Be sure of that Rinoa. The mortal's friendship is the burning sun that will waste your vampiric heart to ash. I can't save you from what is within yourself." 

"There will never be any need for that," Rinoa assured her. 

There was silence for an eternity before Edea waved her hand and dismissed her. Rinoa, stepping out of the shadow carpeted room. The darkness was so thick she could feel its layers underneath her feet. She lifted her hand and cupped her palm around the silver band on her necklace. Her mother's ring was covered by the hand of the black browed night. Walking back across the dismal hallway, Rinoa began to wonder what her mother would have said. Standing there at the threshold of the grand staircase, Rinoa remembered that she needed to visit her father once more before she left for Balamb.

"Good evening Ms. Heartilly," the guard said as she came upon the emerald mansion where she had grown up. She smiled and nodded at the old guard. 

"Has my father been well?" Rinoa asked as she stepped up to him. 

The guard frowned deeply. 

"The general has fallen ill since you left, you better go see him." 

Rinoa felt her pulse quicken. Her heart felt like a stone in her bosom as she walked down the long pathway to her front door. Her mother had died twelve years ago, swallowed by a wreckage of twisted metal. Her father's heart condition was like a manifestation of his broken heart. It made her wonder if he loved her enough to stay here beside her on top of the earth instead of below it. 

She opened the front door and stepped into the dark house. This was her home, her prison for most of her life as a hated sorceress. Now, like Rapunzel from her tower, she had broken free. Her father however was still trapped here, chained by his own frail body. For all her sorceress's power, she could not heal the one she loved most. What good was all the power in the world if it would not prevent the heavens from snatching from her side the only man who had ever accepted her as a sorceress? 

Stepping up to the top of the stairs, Rinoa slowly began to walk towards his bedroom. She was the criminal walking to his execution. At his doorway she paused for a moment and looked in. Her father was lying on the bed a IV connected to his wrist. His wheelchair was in the corner like a visiting ghost. The maid who was sitting in the chair beside his sleeping form looked up as she caught sight of Rinoa standing mournfully at the door. 

"Miss Heartilly -" she began but Rinoa raised her hand for silence. 

"Don't wake him," Rinoa ordered. Reaching over to take the maid by arm Rinoa directed her to the door. 

"I'll sit beside him. Your job here is done." 

The maid nodded respectfully and left. Rinoa closed the door behind her and walked over to the chair beside her father. She took his hand in hers. He did not stir. Is this what death would be like? Rinoa watched his limp hand, at the tiny curls of hair that dotted his wrist. The watch he wore sat there amidst the hair, and for a moment she felt a profound sense of sorrow. Perhaps he was really dead and he would never put that watch on his wrist again. The thought that her father would never look down glancing at the face of the tiny clock to check the time made her heart burst with unbearable grief. She felt tears in her eyes but the hand in her grasp began to move. Her father turned his face over and opened his eyes. 

"Rinoa," he whispered through his pale lips. A sheet of paper had more color than his face. 

"Ssssh," she whispered. "I'm here daddy, I won't go. Go to sleep." 

Rinoa knew then as she watched him close his eyes that she would never make it to Balamb

Home

Chapter 2


	3. chapter2

Chapter 2 - A Test Of Heart

Across the continent, over an ocean, the sun peeked over the horizon of Balamb meadow. The Garden's metallic side erupted in color as the morning light stretched its fingers over flora and fauna alike. The mist of dawn hung over the windows of the dorms of sleeping students. It was the day of the SeeD test and today dreams would be crushed, heroes would be made, and envy given another foothold on the world.

Squall Leonhart walked down the empty hall. He slowly pulled a glove onto his right hand. The soft worn leather became firm and stiff as his fingers filled the familiar holes that knew his hand so well. He flexed his hand and continued to walk, out of the dorms into the long circular hall that connected one section of Garden to another.

It had been a full year since he passed the SeeD exam but it seemed like only the day before yesterday. The days were always the same, one blurring into the next until day and night disappeared and it was all just one long visit to purgatory.

As he neared the directory he saw Xu standing there with her clipboard. He glanced around, looking for anything out of the ordinary that Cid had in store for him. There was nothing, just students like every other day.

"Squall!" Xu said as she took a few steps closer. "Just on time, here let me show you to your squad."

Squall stood there nonchalantly as Xu looked over to the right.

"There, that's Zell Dincht, he's the first member."

Squall looked over to see a young man with hair like a chocobo and an elaborate vine like tattoo on his cheek. The blond boy did two flashy somersaults and landed in front of Squall where he posed, sticking his thumb out in a cocky gesture.

"Zell Dincht, this is your squad leader, Squall Leonhart." Xu said.

"Whoa! I'm with you!" Zell lifted his gloved hand for Squall to shake but Squall ignored him. He eyed the young warrior up and down, realizing immediately that Cid had decided against giving him sane companions for this mission. If this was the only unpleasant surprise Cid had in store for him, then he had overestimated the headmaster.

"Are there any more members, Xu?" Zell asked scratching his head. Squall folded his arms over his chest. Xu glanced at her clipboard,

"Yes but I don't see h-," Xu was interrupted then by a voice behind her.

"Look who's here," Seifer Almasy jeered as he caught sight of Squall. "What happened Squall? They're forcing you to take the test again because of your incompetence?"

"And here is the second member of your squad, Seifer Almasy," Xu continued undeterred. "Seifer this is your squad leader, Squall Leonhart."

Squall shook his head in disgust as he realized what Cid's surprise was.

"What?" Seifer asked. "Don't make laugh. I'm going to have nancy boy here lead me through my SeeD test?" Seifer leaned back and laughed.

Squall frowned but said nothing.

"Xu, change me to a squad led by a man please. I don't get along with female leaders."

Xu glared at Seifer. "We're leaving Seifer. If you want to stay here and throw a hissy fit go ahead. But remember Seifer, screw up the SeeD exam once more you and you might as well go find a job as a chocobo boy."

Zell chuckled. Squall turned and began to walk. He kept his hand on the handle of his gunblade. Seifer was just lucky that the squad leader had nothing to do with the score which the SeeD candidate received. Squall remembered a year ago when he and Seifer were on the verge of a violent conflict on the morning of the SeeD test. That duel was delayed forever when it began to rain over Duel Hill and since then, being a SeeD, he had nothing to with Seifer.

"Seifer is real jackass huh?" Zell asked, but was promptly ignored by Squall.

"Come, hurry up or you'll miss the boat," Xu threatened as they boarded the Garden vehicle which would take them to Balamb.

As the vehicle began to move, Squall sat hunched over beside Zell. Across from Zell sat Seifer who leaned back casually. However, Seifer's cool exterior was usually inversely related to his internal state. Today he was bitterly conflicted and humiliated at the prospect of obeying orders from his old rival.

He smirked and stretched his legs. His Garden uniform was uncomfortable and the anonymity which came with it irritated him. Squall on the other hand, had the privilege of wearing whatever he wanted.

"Hey Squall," Zell interrupted suddenly. "Can I see your gunblade?"

Silence.

"Oh come one. A peek?" Zell asked forming a hole with his index finger and thumb which he placed in front of his right eye in a gesture of peeking.

Silence.

Misery loves company and in this case Seifer was all too happy to pass his own onto Zell.

"Chicken shit," Seifer said with a happy expression on his face.

Zell turned red and looked like he was about to explode with fury.

"Squall," Xu whispered seeking some form of leadership from him but it was like trying to squeeze blood from a turnip. However, she was lucky, Zell swallowed his anger and looked away in disgust.

"Squall," Xu began again. "Have you spoken to Ellone yet?" Silence. And so nothing more was said until the vehicle made it to Balamb.

**ooooo**

The assault boat left Balamb at mid day. The assault boat was midway to Dollet after the briefing was done. As Squall stood on deck, the map in his hands, a strange emotion overcame him. His eyes scanned the horizon, watching the waves disappear under the boat and the foaming tail it left behind. Someone approached him. It was a member of his squad, a familiar face.

"Squall," Seifer began, "tell me the real reason we are going to Dollet."

Squall shrugged. "You heard the briefing Xu gave."

"No," Seifer said. "You know what's really behind this. Why is it that Cid choose you to lead us? The last time I checked it was unheard of for an actual SeeD member to lead SeeD candidates."

"Maybe it's just because I'm incompetent," Squall said with a touch of sarcasm referring to Seifer's comment earlier.

Seifer ground his teeth, seething in anger.

"When did you turn into a comedian, Squall?"

Squall turned to him and looked Seifer in the eye for the first time.

"You are taking a important test Seifer, one which I know you want to pass. For one day can we put aside our differences and play our respective roles in this mission?"

Seifer said nothing for a minute taking in Squall's words.

"I will never allow you to play the role of the leader, Squall." Seifer stated, finally. "I will never place my trust in your decision. What you ask of me is the impossible." With those words Seifer turned and left the deck of the boat.

Squall looked down in a gesture of anger and despair. He pulled out the map he was holding and held it up to the fading twilight sky. A sudden emotion filled his heart then when the lights of Dollet appear on the horizon. The sky exploded with unnatural light from the fatal spheres of fire buried under the sandy shore. Bullets whizzed through the sky into oblivion like fireflies. The assault boats crossed the saffron sea drawing parallel streams of foam under the watchful eye of the Dollet moon. Squall stood still, his face betraying no emotion. He had been through missions like this a thousand times before but somehow this one was. . . different. He glanced at his map, placing the transparency over it and studied their mission. Yet his eyes were seduced once more into flirting with Dollet beach.

He was looking forward to destiny.

The thought suddenly entered his mind that nothing would be the same once he set foot on Dollet. This was a prelude to the story that would be his life. From forth the loins of the ruins of an ancient empire he would emerge reborn into a new life. The fetters which chained him into this insipid one would finally be broken. It was quite a hope but suddenly he heard a voice in the recesses of him mind, her voice echoing across time.

_Never give in to misgiving . . . promise me . . ._

Where had those words come from? He couldn't remember for the life of him.

**ooooo**

The assault boat crawled up Dollet beach and the group walked onto the sandy shore. Squall walked to the front of the group, gunblade out as he gestured to the city. "We are to secure the central square," Squall said reminding them of Xu's mission briefing. And so the group turned and entered into the heart of Dollet. They made it to the central square within in an hour. From there, they took out the two hidden Galbadian soldiers and all was quiet. Squall stood with his arms crossed waiting for something to stir. Seifer was pacing about, occasionally kicking the large dog that was following him.

"Yo, Squall," Zell said. "Is anything going to happen soon?"

"No they sent the incompetent SeeD out for some dog training," Seifer remarked.

Squall did not respond. Seifer walked up to him and looked him in the eye with complete malice. Squall felt the comforting weight of the gunblade at his hip. If Seifer wanted to duel he could not have chosen a worse time.

"You know what's going on don't you?" Seifer asked.

Squall stared back at him, refusing to submit to his sharp eyes.

"You are still under my order, Seifer." Squall reminded him with perfect tranquility in his voice. Seifer ground his teeth in rage. For a moment Squall clenched his hand into a fist waiting for Seifer to throw the first blow. However the tension was shattered when the dog barked and howled at the moon. The group immediately hid in the shadows as they were taught in Garden. A group of Galbadian soldiers crossed the square and went for the communication tower. As soon as they were gone, Seifer was in a new mood.

"I knew something fishy was going on," he remarked.

Squall watched the communication tower in the distance and knew that this was why Cid had sent him on this mission. Out of the corner is his eye he saw Seifer beginning to wander in the direction of where the troops had gone.

"I don't like this," Zell said.

"Come on!" Seifer implored and ran into the direction of the tower.

"That guy is going to fail this test so badly," Zell remarked but was ignored as always.

Squall went after Seifer.

**ooooo**

At the top of the hill, Squall stood with his two companions as they watched the wreckage of a technological wonder. "Stay here and let me investigate," Squall said to the two members under his care but was stopped by Seifer as he tried to walk towards the tower.

"I'm not going to let you have all the fun," Seifer remarked.

Squall glared at the blond headed imp. He did not want to remind Seifer again that he was the leader of this mission.

"Yo Squall," Zell said, "isn't it common procedure to send a member of your team out to investigate, in case something happens ... you know so there will still be a leader to lead the group?"

Squall stared at Seifer's eyes. A silent conversation went on between them, a quiet struggle for power. Finally, Squall decided not to bicker anymore. He stepped aside to let Seifer go. "Alright, Seifer. Go find out what they are doing." The mocking look Squall saw in Seifer's eye told him that he planned to do nothing of the sort. Yet Squall decided to pretend all was well and he was still the leader. Seifer disappeared into the communication tower.

"I hope something awful kills him," Zell muttered.

They heard footsteps behind them. Squall turned around and saw a brown head of spunky hair pop up from the rocks behind them. The small figure of a girl appeared at the top of the rocks. She lost her balance as she tried to walk over the rough rocks and fell forward. Acting on instinct, Squall reached out and caught her as she fell. He pushed her aside as she found her balance. She scratched her head in a look of gratitude and shame as she stuck out her tongue, trying to look cute. "Hey you're the student who showed me around yesterday!" She said happily.

Squall crossed him arms and did not reply.

"Who are you?' Zell asked.

"I'm a messenger here to find squad B, I'm to speak to the leader." She said.

Zell pointed at Squall. "That's our leader."

"Oh, tee-hee, I didn't realize." The girl said. "We are to meet at the beach at 3000 hours."

Squall frowned. "That's not much time. Zell, go with the girl to the beach, I'll go find Seifer."

"My name is Selphie," she remarked. "Let me go with you, you are going to need help in there." With that she walked towards the cliff preparing to jump off when Squall caught her arm.

"Are you insane?" he asked her. "Did you forget what I told you yesterday about passing this test?"

She looked back at him, confused.

"Selphie," Squall kept his voice level, trying his best not to intimidate her. "If you jump off here they will detract five points from your attitude score."

"Oh," She said quietly at Squall's assertive manner. By the time she recovered Squall had already gone into the tower. Zell tugged at her arm.

"Come on, let the two loonies be together."

**ooooo**

Squall held his gunblade out as he walked into the communication tower. The elevator was on, clearly having been used a few moments before. He took the elevator to the top of the tower but as soon as it came to a stop the entire tower began to shake uncontrollably. Squall stepped onto the landing to see Seifer grabbing a pole for support as two Galbadian soldiers stood before the open belly of the control panel.

Squall spun around in surprise as a giant radio wave transmitter emerged behind him. It opened its wings and let out a green ray of light.

"What is going on?" Squall asked looking to Seifer for an answer.

"Those bastards," Seifer began and ran forward with his gunblade held high but was stopped dead in his tracks as a giant Elvoret appeared, sweeping the soldiers off their feet. The whirlpool of wind around the Elvoret knocked Seifer back against Squall who narrowly escaped falling backwards from Seifer's weight. Squall ran over to where his gunblade fell when it was knocked out of his hand, but he caught the Elvoret's green eye. With one swoop of his powerful talon, the Elvoret swatted Squall off the side of the communication tower.

Seifer cursed under his breath as he scampered over to where Squall disappeared. Fortunately the Elvoret was still too preoccupied with the two Galbadian soldiers to see the blond boy balanced precariously over the side of the tower searching for his lost comrade.

Seifer felt a measure of relief when he saw Squall dangling off one of the rib shaped support structures of the tower. The wind which came over the sea was trying to drag Squall from his loose grip but he held on for his life, refusing to descend into the embrace of jagged rocks on the shore miles below. Seifer reached down and grabbed Squall's arm firmly and used all his strength to pull Squall away from the mighty fist of the famished wind.

"Damn," Seifer cursed under his breath. "When did you get so fat Squall?"

Squall grabbed the edge of the tower firmly with his other hand. The tug of war had been won. The ravenous wind had lost its prize. Squall pulled himself back to his feet, breathing hard from looking death in the face a few moments before.

"Thank you," he said to Seifer in a moment of awkward silence.

The Elvoret came from behind. Seifer attacked it slashing madly with his gunblade. However, although weakened, the Elvoret only seemed to grow stronger in its fury. Squall grabbed his gunblade. He ran up to the monster and cut its throat with one well aimed slash. The Elvoret came down dead, it's life blood dripping off the edge of the tower in a trickling storm.

"You need to work on your timing." Squall remarked and shrugged. "You learn a few things as a SeeD. Let's go, we need to get to the beach in less than 3000 hours."

As the two gunblade bearing boys stepped out of the tower the earth began to tremble when a monstrous machine jumped down in front of them like a black widow. Realizing that they had no time to fight, the two boys began running. They ran over the cliff, down the steps, over the bridge under the Dollet moon. As they came to the end of the bridge the blond boy was ahead of the other. The distance was small but just large enough so that the X ATMO92 jumped in between them. Seifer looked back to see Squall trapped in back of the monster.

He did not hesitate.

"Sorry Squall," he apologized as he continued running. He was not about to miss the boat. Squall stood there to face the creature alone. Somewhat shocked by the beast's sudden appearance, Squall received a shoulder wound from the sharp razor of the monster's talon. The fight, however, was short, Squall sent his guardian force Quezacotl after the monster. Then after he cast Ultima four times, there was nothing but a pile of rubble at his feet.

He made it to the assault boat just as it was pulling away from the shore. Inside, he found Seifer sitting contentedly in the briefing room. With his eyes on fire, Squall glared at the fiend. "Hey Squall, you made it." Seifer said with a grin. He reached over and patted Squall on the shoulder. "We all thought you decided to stay in Dollet but I guess you missed us after all."

"Be glad, Seifer," Squall whispered under his breath, "that I will not be the one grading you. There is not one rule of SeeD that you have not broken today."

Seifer smiled. "Loose some weight Squall."

**ooooo**

Rinoa knew she had to go. Pulling her Cardinal to her side she went to her father's bed one last time. She stood there for a moment hating herself. Surely the petty squabbles of the world could not mean more than these precious moments beside her old father. She sat down beside him and took his hand.

"Daddy, I'll be back soon," she told him as she squeezed his hand.

The general studied his daughter.

"I have something to tell you, Rinoa, that you must hear before I go."

Rinoa shook her head feeling the warm tears collect in her eyes.

"No, don't. I won't hear it. You will be here when I got back. You'll get well and you'll tell me then what you have to say."

The general looked at her with his world weary eyes. Rinoa studied him but still she refused to believe that he would not get better this time. How could she imagine how it would be to live without him? Such a thing wasn't possible.

"I'll be here when you come back," he assured her. "Then, I need to tell you a story about your mother and me." he paused for a moment drawing in a breath. Even the simple act of talking was making him weary.

"I know she would have wanted me to tell you what happened that day in a small town far south from here."

A bittersweet smile found its way to Rinoa's lips. She stood up, knowing that she needed to go.

"Is it a happy story?" She asked him.

"No," he said as he closed his eyes. "But maybe one day it could be."

**ooooo**

Squall concluded his report to Cid on the Galbadian's deeds at the communication tower. Cid was as perplexed as he was.

"It has something to do with the sorceress," Cid said quietly. "I think," Cid began, "I want you to take charge of this mission. Don't ask me why, it will become clear to you in time."

Squall crossed his arms. "What is it exactly that you want me to do?" he asked.

"Nothing, for now," Cid said as he reached over and patted Squall on the shoulder. "Go to the dance tonight, enjoy yourself, you are still young. I heard you had some trouble getting along with one of the SeeD candidates."

Squall shook his head. "No, there was no trouble."

"Good, that's excellent," Cid suddenly exclaimed. "Because something went wrong with the observers grading the candidates. A few of them were attacked and you know, things just went downhill from there. This has never happened before so I want to ask a favor of you."

Silence.

Cid wandered over to his desk and pulled out two stacks of paper. He walked over to Squall and handed both to him.

"I want you to grade the two candidates,"

"No," Squall said without hesitation. "I can't do it objectively. You should know that. Seifer. . "

"No one, Squall," Cid said "can grade Almasy objectively. That's why he failed two years in a row. Now I am going to ask you to do it. Grade it objectively, subjectively, it does not matter. You know Almasy better than anyone, tell me if he deserves to be a SeeD."

Squall reluctantly took the papers, tasting bitterness at the back of his mouth. He walked out side, found a seat near the elevator and began to read.

Zell Dincht, age 17, blood type B, weapon - glove. A quick glance at judgement told him that Zell had done well at the fire cavern event. Although his test scores had not been wonderful, a quick calculation of his spirit, aptitude and attitude pushed him over the top. Squall didn't even need to loose sleep deciding the subjective conduct portion it. A quick average showed that Zell got over fifty percent of the points overall, just enough to make him a SeeD.

That was the easy one.

Squall turned his attention to the second stack of papers.

Seifer Almasy, age 18, blood type O, weapon - gunblade. Squall glanced at his test scores and the fire cavern pre-requisite praying silently that Seifer had either done so well or so poorly that nothing Squall gave him for the Dollet mission would change the outcome. But it was just his luck that Seifer barely passed the written test and just made it over the fire cavern one. As for Spirit and Attack he passed with flying colors but that was negated when his attitude score fell on its face. Finally it came to conduct. Squall knew that what he gave Seifer here was the deciding factor. A look over the rest of the paper made Squall realize that Seifer needed a 75 here to pass. For a moment Squall closed his eyes and contemplated the matter. Seifer had obviously no regard for the rules however, in terms of being a warrior he was more than qualified. Squall knew that if he made Seifer a SeeD he would have to suffer the man's insults for the rest of his living days. Should he choose to fail him, Seifer would be expelled from Garden never to be seen again. Thinking back to the exam Squall realized that Seifer had followed most of his orders merely by chance. In the end it all came down to perspective and how do you assign a number to that? Opening his eyes Squall glanced down at the paper before him.

Moving his hand, Squall placed in the box for conduct a 76.


	4. chapter3

Chapter 3 - With This Night's Revels

It didn't take Rinoa long to figure out that Seifer passed the SeeD exam. Her spy was a close confidant of Cid's. Rinoa heard from her immediately as soon as she had arrived in Balamb that Seifer had passed - just barely. Now, as to what kind of idiot would allow Almasy into SeeD Rinoa could hardly imagine, but what was done was done. Yet she knew she couldn't afford to fail on her mission.

Walking into Garden disguised as a student, Rinoa quickly began to spread a rumor that Seifer failed miserably, it was a record in fact, no one had ever received a lower score. How anyone could receive a score in the negative range, especially when it was a percentage of a hundred, was beyond belief. The hot gossip had infested the whole Garden by mid evening.

Seifer did not believe it when he first heard it. It was in the cafeteria when he heard it from a group of students giggling away at his misfortune. He heard it again in the library. While he was scanning the shelves for a Weapons Monthly, across the barrier he heard a female student giggling about how a chimp would have scored higher. Grinding his teeth in anger he decided to dismiss the news again. Walking to the training center suddenly Nida came up to him.

"Seifer, did you hear about the SeeD tests?"

"Hear what?" Seifer asked in a voice dripping with irritation.

"A lot of students got into SeeD this year. They screwed up the grading system. Maybe even you got in." Nida said, unaware of his insulting slip.

"What do you mean they screwed up the grading system?" Seifer asked.

Nida shrugged. "You didn't hear? They had the squad leaders grade the SeeD candidates this year. Who was your squad leader? Seifer?" Nida yelled his name once more as Seifer disappeared down the hall. Scratching his head, Nida wasn't surprised that Seifer was so rude. He was Seifer after all.

Rinoa was sitting her room in the Balamb hotel when someone began to bang on her door. She smiled inwardly as she walked over to the door and opened it, fully expecting to see Seifer behind it. He stormed into the room.

"Didn't you want two days?" She asked, pretending to be oblivious to the cause of his pains.

He glared at her.

"I've made up my mind."

Rinoa watched him in the mist of his anger and knew that her plan had worked to perfection. She walked into her room and glanced at herself in the mirror. Seifer just stood there watching her as she took in her reflection.

"Why are you all dressed up?" he asked curiously.

"I'm going to help you kidnap the headmaster tonight, Seifer." Rinoa answered.

He frowned. "It almost seems as though you knew I would come."

Rinoa fixed her canary dress and began to run a brush through her hair.

"I know you too well, Seifer," Rinoa replied. She tossed her hair back and walked over to him. "Come on, we need to meet your accomplices at the entrance of Balamb Garden. There is no time to waste."

**ooooo**

At the entrance of Balamb Rinoa introduced Seifer to the accomplices Edea had promised her. Raijin and Fujin. Fujin she knew already, she was Edea's spy in Garden. Raijin was also a spy but she did not meet him until tonight. Reaching out with her hand, Rinoa shook both of their hands and Seifer did the same. Rinoa looked over at Seifer realizing how quiet he was. She remembered that summer a year ago when she had believed that she was in love with him. They used to wander about Deling, hand in hand. He used to be her pillar of strength, as long as she was with him there was no one to fear. Being a sorceress wasn't so bad when you had a knight to protect you. Now, things had changed. She was no longer his accessory, he was hers.

"Fujin, you've been briefed about the mission already. Make sure you pass that knowledge onto Seifer because there is no time to waste." Rinoa looked over at Seifer. " You came rather late," She explained sheepishly, "had we been able to do this a day ago you would be more adequately prepared."

Seifer shrugged. "I'll get it done." With that he turned away and began to walk in the direction of Garden. Rinoa looked at Raijin and Fujin.

"He's had a hard day," she explained. "Usually he's a very charismatic man."

Rinoa turned and ran after Seifer. She caught up with him midway to Garden. In the distance she could see the lights of the academy light up the heavens in a rainbow of colors. Night had crept upon them like a thief, stealing the security of the bright sun. The stars twinkled in the sky like a thousand diamonds. Why, she had never seen so many stars.

"Seifer," she whispered as she caught his arm.

"You've changed Rinoa," he answered keeping his faced turned away. "I don't even know who you are anymore."

"What are you talking about, Seifer?" Rinoa walked in front of him so she could force him to look at her.

"I love you, remember? How could you forget that?"She asked sweetly, innocently, deceptively. In the end she needed him to remind her of her power. However, she could never love him as an equal. Her love for him was like a pretty dress she was proud of wearing. And now he was finally beginning to catch on to her tricks. Yet she would never let him go. He was a puppet attached to her strings. She wanted to see him dance.

"Stop it," he growled. "What happened to the old you?" he asked. "You used to be shy, kind, honest. Now you are a snake talking to me with a forked tongue."

Rinoa laughed. "The little girl you knew grew up." With that she leaned over and kissed him. Yet underneath her scaly skin she knew that his accusations were true. She would not address them though. He would never understand. He was a simple person, childish thoughts, completely empty inside. He saw people as black and white, and as long as she kept telling him that she was good he would never think otherwise. As she parted from his kiss she saw him smile at her. At that moment the realization hit her that she was utterly alone. How could he fall for that simple trick? It was an insult to her intelligence. She felt hollow inside as though she was filled with night instead of flesh. She wanted to lash out at him for being so dull, yet, she also hated herself for being so complex. A summer ago she would have given anything for his smile, but now suddenly she would give anything to see him in pain. What a tragic change of fate.

"Squall Leonhart," Rinoa whispered. Her breath brushing against his lips.

His smile immediately turned into a frown. "What did you say? I thought I heard you say -"

"Squall Leonhart," Rinoa spoke once more. This time more clearly. "I have to find a SeeD of that name. Edea's orders. Do you know him?"

Seifer pulled away from her in disgust. "Yeah I know him. He's my old friend."

"What does he look like?" Rinoa asked. "I need to keep him busy while you kidnap the headmaster."

Seifer shrugged. "He's a fat bastard. A few hundred pounds overweight, ugly as a lizard, with oily flaky dandruff infested hair. You won't miss him. He's the most repulsive man in Garden."

Rinoa nodded, feeling a sense of disgust overcome her. So, she had put on her best dress to court a monster. Suddenly she wasn't so eager to leave Seifer.

"Alright. I'll meet you back here 3000 hours past midnight."

**ooooo**

Seifer watched Rinoa run away from him. Her slender form moving through the night like a deer through the forest. Yet as he watched he began to feel as though he was watching someone else's woman. She was no longer by his side and he was no longer her knight. And when he heard her say Squall's name he felt such a surge of envy as he had never known before. Squall had taken everything from him in one day. SeeD and Rinoa, yesterday he had both, today neither. Seifer squeezed his gunblade in fury.

"Seifer, what are ya looking at? She's gone, ya know?" Raijin said beside him. Seifer turned to the dark skinned man next to him.

'_Yeah_', Seifer thought to himself. '_She's gone. Forever.'_

"Let's get going. Fujin, you know how to get in, right?" Seifer asked the grey haired lady.

She nodded watching him from her single eye.

"FOLLOW," she said and pointed to the right.

Seifer looked at the darkness which had swallowed Rinoa's figure one last time before he turned his head and began to follow.

He had nothing left to lose.

**ooooo**

Rinoa wandered into the Garden easily. It was the night of the graduation dance, the security was down, the SeeDs drunk, and the Garden Masters asleep. She heard the heels of her white dancing shoes click on the tiled floor of the iridescent Garden. The place was ethereal tonight and even her sorceress's heart began to melt sightly with girlish dreams of starlit nights.

She heard the waltz music coming from behind closed doors. With a smile on her face she remembered that she had not danced in a year. She stood there outside of the gold gilded door listening to the music that leaked out from within. It was a door to her past. Maybe if she opened it she would see her mother inside sitting at the piano. Her father would be dressed up in a suit waiting for her to come dance. They would begin with the waltz, softly, gently, watching out for his heart. Then her mother would laugh and begin to play a different tune. Her father would swing her around in the tango, dipping her, swinging her out so that her skirt made a circle around her like the bloom of a flower.

Rinoa jumped, suddenly knocked out of her reverie as a voice came from behind her.

"What are you doing?" A young man asked.

Rinoa looked around seeing a Garden student standing beside her. He smiled warmly at her.

"It's for SeeDs only, but you can go in, you know. They don't check for an ID or anything."

Rinoa smiled back at him. "Oh, I wasn't looking to go in ... . I" She realized suddenly that this was the graduation dance for SeeDs. Squall Leonhart was probably inside.

"Do you know a Squall Leonhart?" Rinoa asked.

"Hmm, yeah, everyone knows him. Are you trying to get a date with him? Because if you are, forget it. He's a jerk."

Rinoa shook her head. "No no, of course not." She realized suddenly that she was blushing. "I just have something important to tell him ...so can you point him out to me? Please?

The young man shrugged. "Just find the guy who doesn't answer back when you talk to him. Chances are if you are begin to suspect that he is deaf, it's probably Squall Leonhart."

"Oh okay. Thank you," Rinoa said as she bravely opened the door and stepped in. She was instantly amazed at the burst of activity inside. The pastel walls arched into a high ceiling that seemed to point to heaven. Men, women wandered about in a bright swirl of colors. The sound of the laughter of mortal voices was music to her ears. The music traveling from one ear to another followed her through the sea of bodies. She caught a glimpse of a pearl pin stuck in the brown waves of hair, a peek of a emerald at a pale throat, a glance at a the satin dress covering a soft body.

Her heart burned with joy as though she had never been apart from this royal splendor. She stopped at the center of the grand ballroom watching the couples twirl with each other underneath the midnight sky. It was so lovely it brought tears to her eyes. She felt as though the immortal fire in her chest would incinerate her into a pile of ash. It was then when she caught sight of Squall Leonhart. Fat, repulsive, Squall Leonhart eating hot dogs over in a corner of the room. He was as ugly as Seifer described him to be, with his hair plastered to his forehead with oil. The very sight of him disgusted her. She walked over but it was just her luck that he got up from his seat as she approached him.

"Mr. Leonhart!" she yelled, but he ignored her as he wove through the crowd. Did he know who she was? Is that why he was running from her? Oh, he was more cunning than she thought. She shoved the people out of her way, ready to use magic to stop him if need be.

"Mr. Leonhart, I must have a word with you!" She called out but he ignored her as though she never called out his name at all. It had to be him. As deaf as a doornail.

She raised her hand ready to cast a sleep spell when suddenly he disappeared behind a dark door. She ran up to it glad that she would have him alone when someone grabbed her.

"Miss you can't go in there." A gentleman implored her.

"Why!" she snapped as she broke from his hand and reached for the door.

"Miss, that's the men's room."

Rinoa felt her cheeks turn red as an apple as she withdrew her hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said smiling in shame taking a few steps back. "I'll just wait here."

The man shook his head and left. Rinoa stood there and waited. She tried to keep her eyes on the door of the men's room but the music came and the dancing seduced her eyes, forcing them to wander back to the dance floor. She tapped her feet to the music, a gentle smile on her face as she vicariously twirled across the floor.

_'What happened to the old you?'_

Seifer's words ran through her head and bid her to follow. They leapt across the landscape of her mind. Just one dance. Come, follow us, no one has to know.

Rinoa stood up and walked to the center of the floor. She realized that she had no idea why she was there. She stood there awkwardly as the couples danced around her like a merry go round. Suddenly, she looked up at the tiny star that shot across the sky like a message from the angels. As she withdrew her eyes from the sky she saw a young man's eyes on her. He too had seen that shining star. She lifted her index finger and pointed up. He cocked his head at her, reminding her of a new born owl.

_'Come dance with me across the landscape of my dreams_.'

Rinoa walked over to him keeping Seifer's advice in her heart. Be young, innocent, sweet, ditzy. They love that. Yet as she came closer he took her breath away. He was a snow white dove in a mist of crows. His eyes were two precious stones glittering with the lonely flame of all the stars in the sky. Unfortunately, here in the mist of so many unnatural diamonds attached to human jewelry the miraculous ones set in his face were easy to miss. As she walked up to him she realized that never before in her life she had seen such true beauty. Her eyes had been two passengers through a world of darkness before they laid their sight upon this beacon in the rough.

"You're the best looking guy here. Dance with me?" She asked keeping her voice high, cheery, innocent.

He ignored her. She felt a wave of panic suddenly. What if he did not want to talk to her? She felt very young then, wishing that Seifer her knight was here again.

_'The little girl you knew grew up.'_

And she had grown up. No she would not give up. On this mystical night surely she can coax one dance out of him.

"Let me guess . . you will only dance with someone you like." She bent down a bit so that she could look into his eyes. She was being too bold now. If he refused her she would have to go jump off a bridge because she would never live this down.

"Look into my eyes," she said, trying to keep her happy voice in tact. "You're going to like me. You're going to like me." She drew back, feeling herself tremble in fear.

"Did it work?" She asked.

He looked up at last.

"I can't dance."

That made her laugh in glee. His voice was more beautiful than the quiet song of the moonlight sonata. One dance, one night. He was an angel sent down with that shooting star for one last flash of joy. Perhaps even those doomed to a lifetime in hell were allowed one moment of true ecstacy.

"Come on," she assured him. "You'll be fine."

She grabbed his arm and took him to the center of the dance floor. She gently placed his right hand on her hip and took his left into her right.

"Just follow me, I'll lead," she whispered gently to him. She began to move her feet to the beat of the waltz. Right, lift, left, lift. Her feet knew the dance and immediately went into their passionate sensual movement. He collapsed into her as she began to lose herself in the dance. Oh what a inconsiderate fool she was! He had told her that he could not dance and she was already lost wandering through the landscape of her fantasy.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault," she apologized as she caught his hand when he tried to leave her.

He frowned at her. She smiled at him taking him through the steps again slowly.

'_I've been such a assertive klutz. I hope he doesn't hate me.'_

"You're getting it, that's perfect," She whispered as he did not respond.

Then suddenly her attention was drawn elsewhere as they collapsed into another couple. The man glared at her. Rinoa felt her partner cringe slightly with embarrassment. She stuck her tongue out at the rude intruder.

"I'm sorry," She apologized again as she caught his eye once more. "I'm terrible at leading."

They melted back into basic, sticking to the simple steps first.

"My father used to lead, before he got sick," She told him quietly. "He's probably a far better teacher than me."

He was silent but he caught her off guard as he suddenly swung her around in a perfect turn. She was smiling with glee as they finished the step. She hung on to his strong shoulder as he surprised her once more with a full turn.

"Ready?" he asked her under his breath as he turned her palm. She smiled, he was leading.

"Ready."

He spun her out and let go of her hand. She raised her arms and slide in back of him, appearing on his other side to take his hand again and went into an angle. The world disappeared from her eyes. They were one spirit moving across the floor. And she knew that from this moment on she would never be completely alone again. Even if she left this hall never to see him again, he would visit her nightly in each beautiful sorrow gilded dream.

"You're lucky to have a father," he whispered as he held her close. The ballroom had grown dark to frame the slow dance. "Most of the people here are orphans."

Rinoa looked at him fondly. Was he an orphan? Oh what kind of mother would leave such a son. She would cross the boundaries of life and death, take the pen from the very hand of god to rewrite the cursed words in the stars for such a man.

"I know I'm lucky" She told him.

_'To have met you_'

He stared into her eyes then, his lips on the verge of a smile.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Rinoa was jarred suddenly from her reverie as she saw the restroom open and Squall Leonhart walked out. Damn you Squall Leonhart, she thought to herself but realized that she had to go after him before he disappeared. She turned her eyes to the young man in front of her one last time, taking in his beauty, etching him in her memory. She gently broke from his embrace. He stared at her with the most startled expression on his face.

It ripped her heart to pieces to leave him but she knew she had to.

'_I'm sorry.'_

She looked at him one last time before she ran away, across the dance floor after Squall Leonhart. She held that last expression on his face in her mind. She wouldn't forget that terrible downcast look for all the rest of time.

He was sad to see her go.

Deep in her heart, she vowed to kill that irritating imp for leaving his place in the men's room at this instant. She walked up to the fat bastard, smiled and began to flirt with him. It was going to be a long night.

**ooooo**

The elevator stopped at the third floor. Seifer stepped away from it and realized that there was no turning back now. Well, if he was to be expelled why not go out with a bang and get the headmaster back for his pain? Oh yes, and there was Squall Leonhart whom he must destroy. One by one he would kill. It started tonight.

Fujin pointed at the door. Raijin held the tranquilizer under his arm. They were both waiting for his signal. Seifer scratched his head. How do you make a decision like this? For as long as he could remember he worked toward being a SeeD. It was never really his dream rather than it was just something he had expected to happen. Now he was standing here ready to kidnap the headmaster. He was walking in a dream.

Finally in a moment of impulse, Seifer pointed at the door.

"Let's get it over with."

Seifer walked over to the door and kicked it open.

Fujin and Raijin ran in and surrounded Cid. Seifer walked in and pointed his gunblade at Cid's throat.

"Say one word and I'll kill you." Seifer hissed as he watched the old man calmly lift his head.

"You've come from Edea haven't you?" Cid asked quietly as though their sudden intrusion didn't surprise him at all.

"Shut up," Seifer yelled as he choked on his words.

"Why you Seifer? Why today?" Cid asked, sorrow sounding in his voice. "Today was your day Seifer. The SeeD exa-"

"Shut up!" Seifer roared as he poked Cid in the neck. "Raijin, you idiot, what are you waiting for?" Seifer snapped.

Raijin, who hadn't been paying attention. broken out of his trance and shot Cid with the tranquilizer. The headmaster slumped over. Fujin bound his hands with her rope. Raijin picked the headmaster up and threw Cid over his broad shoulder. Seifer really had nothing to do but watch.

When the procedure was done Seifer was the first one out of the room. Cid's words echoed in his head. He was afraid that he would see something in that room, something that would make him regret this decision for a lifetime.

"Hurry, Rinoa's not about to wait all night," he yelled at the two.

**ooooo**

Squall stood at the balcony of Balamb Garden after the mysterious girl left him. She came so suddenly out of nowhere and disappeared as fast as she had come. He had stood here for the rest of the dance quietly contemplating what had happened. In a way, he was also waiting, in case she came back.

"Squall," someone called from behind him.

He stood still without turning. He would recognize that voice anywhere. Ellone.

She walked closer, her gentle slippers scratching the stone floor in a irritating fashion.

"Squall, you'll dance with a girl you don't even know but still you can't stand being here with me?" She asked.

Squall tightened his grip on the balcony railing.

"You are my sister. It's strange being with you, especially since you were gone for so long."

Ellone walked closer to him.

"No that's not it. I want to talk to you, Squall. Will you meet me at the training center later tonight?"

Squall looked over at her. Her face was round and playful. Her eyes large and innocent. Short shaggy hair, the same color as his, waved in the gentle wind of the Balamb island. Yet today as he watched her his vision blurred. He turned his eyes away from her and back to the moon.

"No Ellone, if you have anything to say, say it here."

Ellone looked down and closed her eyes.

"What have I done Squall to make you hate me so?" She asked sadly.

Squall forced his eyes back onto her. Somehow it was hard to look at her. He kept seeing someone else. She was Ellone, his adopted sister, the one his mother made him promise to protect as she laid dying, the one who had abandoned him one day and left for a decade. Ellone, his beautiful cold hearted Ellone who had the one thing he could never have, the love of his father.

"Nothing," Squall said, "you did nothing,"

"Because I did nothing that's why the things between us can never be right," Ellone said, finishing the sentence for him.

Something about her, at that moment, standing beside him was making him see double. A flash came across his mind. A girl, a blond one with royal eyes. The flash went as suddenly as it came. No matter how he prodded his mind he could not get the vision to return. Those eyes, so blue they were the color of the midday April sky. They stared at him across distance and time.

_Why Squall?_

"Squall, why are you squinting at me?" Ellone asked.

Squall turned his eyes away trying to clear his head. A name suddenly came to the edge of his tongue.

_'Quistis.'_

He wanted to say that name to her on a wild impulse but he caught himself and swallowed the name. He was growing dizzy. He could not stay here a moment longer. Reaching up, Squall placed his hand against his forehead. For a moment he saw in the distance not Balamb meadow but the one behind Edea's orphanage. Something happened there, a long long time ago. Something which he couldn't remember now for the life of him. It was just one fluttering whisper, one faded badge of courage, one forgotten sacrifice, one name, Quistis.

"Squall are you okay?" Ellone asked with concern in her voice.

Squall opened his eyes, vision clearing. Suddenly as he cast his eyes onto the Balamb meadow a realization hit him.

"The headmaster," Squall whispered under his breath. Without another word he ran from the balcony, leaving Ellone standing alone, completely perplexed and yet at the same time, in complete understanding.

**ooooo**

"Where is Raijin and Fujin?" Rinoa asked as Seifer appeared with Cid's limp body over his shoulder.

Seifer dumped Cid onto the ground near the helicopter and flexed his shoulder.

"They were delayed by a couple of Garden students. They'll be here momentarily." Seifer glanced at Rinoa as she rubbed her bare arms in the cold night. "You must be freezing," he remarked at her tiny dress. He pulled off his trench coat and helped her into it.

Rinoa nodded absently at his act of chivalry For a second Seifer was about to ask her how her night with Squall had gone yet at the same time he feared the answer. By the distant look in her eye he had the awful feeling that she hardly even saw him standing in front of her.

"Is that better?" He asked her.

"If they don't show up soon we'll have to leave without them," Rinoa remarked.

"I don't leave people behind Rinoa, that's just a thing I don't do,"

Rinoa frowned at him. "This is not SeeD, Seifer. Your SeeD codes of honor mean nothing here."

Seifer looked dazed for a moment as though he had been slapped by her harsh words. He turned away feeling the night on his bare arms. Perhaps he had made a mistake in putting his coat around her. It was not the night that gave birth to the winter air but her icicle heart that emitted this terrible cold. He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a sound over the hill.

He took a few steps forward and listened carefully.

"Wait here," he said to Rinoa, "if there is trouble take the headmaster and leave, don't worry about me."

Rinoa said nothing, her face betraying no emotion. As Seifer turned and walked over the hill he realized how worthless those words were. Of course she would not worry about him. She would not blink an eye even if she were to see his corpse dragged around like a bone by the wild dogs on the outskirts of Balamb.

_'Squall Leonhart.'_

Seifer smiled suddenly. He recognized the figure that was approaching him. Without hesitation, Seifer began to walk forward.

Things had just taken a turn for the better.

**ooooo**

"What are you doing out here at this time of the night?" Squall asked as he stopped a few feet away from Seifer Almasy. However, as he watched the psychotic blue eyes of his foe he knew that this was no ordinary moonlit stroll. At his side Squall pulled his gunblade closer to himself.

"Squall, Squall." Seifer said shaking his head. "You know Squall, I should have kicked you off that communication tower today. I don't know what came over me."

"You owe me a duel, Squall," Seifer said absently. "Give me a chance to take the life I accidently saved this afternoon. Everyone should get a chance to correct their mistakes don't you think?"

Squall was silent for a moment, as he usually was before he spoke. "Seifer, it's not too late for you to turn back."

Seifer shook his head and scratched the back of his neck. "No, Squall," he said turning to meet his eyes, "it is fourteen years too late."

Squall jumped back as Seifer suddenly attacked him.

**ooooo**

Rinoa shoved Cid into the helicopter, fully intending to leave. She heard the clash of the blades across the hill. He had missed his chance to leave. She had Cid, the headmaster of Garden. They would be helpless without him, the mission had been a success.

But that was when something caught her eye.

Seifer's opponent, he looked oddly familiar.

Rinoa took a few steps closer and drew her hand to her mouth in shock, it was the boy she had danced with that night.

_No, Seifer._

The words ran through her head screaming like a wraith. She watched as the boy narrowly blocked a blow from Seifer's gunblade. He too had a gunblade, the mystical weapon of ancient heroes. She gasped under her breath as he was forced to stumble back by the ferocity of Seifer's blows. The sound of the blades clashing was like thunder in the night. Rinoa watched her the dark haired boy drew back and ran into Seifer with his blade held at his side. Seifer raised his hand and cast a Firaga spell on him, throwing him off his feet. It was the strongest way Rinoa had ever seen that spell cast and it left her boy on his back.

Get up! Damn you, get up! Rinoa thought desperately. Her hand raised involuntarily, ready to cast Ultima on Seifer. She suddenly realized shamefully what she was about to do.

She didn't even know his name.

Yet, she could not stop the words for escaping her lips as Seifer raised his glittering gunblade into the sky and brought it down across his victim's face.

"No!" Rinoa yelled suddenly and began to run over when someone caught her.

"STOP."

Rinoa turned around in shock to see Raijin and Fujin beside her. She had not seen them creep up on her.

"What's going on?" Raijin asked. But then the large man turned his eyes to the duel and smiled. "Looks like Seifer has done well, ya know?"

"What do you mean you blubbering idiot?" Rinoa asked breathlessly.

Raijin lifted his finger and pointed.

"That's Squall Leonhart."

**ooooo**

Seifer's fury flowed through his palm into his sword like a river of hate. He seemed to grow stronger with each mighty blow he hurled at his victim. Although Squall was the warrior with more experience, Seifer had the formidable strength of unbound anger on his side. Blow by blow he struck for SeeD, for Rinoa, for the ruins of his great future.

Seifer spun around and drove his gunblade into Squall's knocking him back from the impact. Squall charged at him with a series of well timed blows but Seifer blocked them easily. While Squall went directly for the kill, Seifer had more artistic flair. When he fought it was almost like a dance. Under the light of the full moon he twirled to a song of death no one else could hear. Squall however charged at Seifer trying his best to keep up with his opponent's virtuoso ability.

Squall unleashed a storm of blows at Seifer but was thrown back by Seifer's swipe. Squall spun his blade around, altering his gripe on it. Seifer saw him coming with his blade at his side. Seifer's rage had reached a climax. He could no longer contain it within him. He wanted blood. Raising his palm he felt the energy of his body collect on his palm. All his anger, hatred, despair collected in one fire spell that shot from his hand in a blast of white light. It threw Squall back against the grassy plain. Seifer smiled then, as he raised his gunblade.

_Watch Rinoa, while I cut his face in two._

Seifer felt such pleasure right then as he brought his blade down in a swoop. He could hear the whistle of air as his blade came to meet with destiny. Squall Leonhart had a look of complete shock on his face as the blade dug deep into his forehead drawing a wound so profound it could never heal. Blood painted his cheeks in red, flooded his sapphire eyes drowning them in a sea of burning scarlet.

_'Will she love you now Squall?'_

Seifer smiled in contentment.

_'I have divided your face in two so that she could see you for who you really are -a hypocrite, a liar, a demon. Oh let her watch you now, and see if she will still love you at first sight.'_

Seifer was taken back suddenly in surprise as Squall jumped to his feet. Drawing back in effort to defend himself, in a flash Seifer felt a burning sensation across his own forehead. Blood poured down in a waterfall over his nose into his mouth. Seifer stood there in shock, unable to believe that it had happened.

_'What have you done?'_

Seifer drew his hand to his head and came away with his fingers drenched in blood. They both had that scar, in the same place, they matched, were identical.

"Seifer!" Someone yelled in back of him.

Squall had stumbled back, his forehead bleeding profusely. It trickled down his chin into the intricate designs of his SeeD uniform, dripping into the grass in a rainstorm of red. Seifer felt someone tug him from behind. In the distance he could see support from Garden coming. He broke out of his shock long enough to jump into the hoovering helicopter behind him.

The helicopter flew away from Balamb as Seifer took a seat inside next to Rinoa. Fujin, who had been the one to break him from his trance was sitting across from him next to Raijin. She handed him something to press against the wound which he took absently. He looked over at Rinoa who was looking out the window refusing to meet his eye.

He reached over and took her hand, gently tenderly the way he used to. He held her long slender fingers in his as the helicopter crossed the ocean on its way to Deling City.

_I love you more Rinoa._

He did not see her softly begin to cry.

Author's Note: Darn I was hoping to do away with these notes but now I see that they are needed. Okay, the guy whom Rinoa calls "Squall" during the dance is NOT Squall. Seifer unintentionally misled her to believe that Squall was really "a few hundred pounds overweight." So pretty much with a series of mistakes, Rinoa dances with Squall during the dance not knowing that she actually danced with Squall. And for those of you who would like to know what went on in Rinoa's head right after she found out that she fell in love with her worst enemy, well I can't write well enough to capture it so I left it to your imagination by cutting it off at a critical place. So if you really want to know I guess I'll let my friend Mr Shakespeare tell you.

My only love sprung from my only hate

Too early seen unknown and known too late

Prodigious birth of love it is to me,

That I must love a loathed enemy.

Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)


	5. chapter4

Chapter 4 - A Forest Dream

"He's not going to make it through the night," the doctor told Rinoa as she stepped into her father's mansion. The lights were dim, shades drawn and the musky smell of death pervaded the house. Rinoa knew death like she knew the taste of bread each morning, but never before had she felt death like this. She patted the doctor's wrinkly hand and nodded quietly.

"You should you sit beside him," the doctor whispered to her gently.

"I will," Rinoa promised as she led him away.

She walked slowly up the staircase to father's room knowing that the next time she walked up this way she would be an orphan. Tears began to cloud her eyes but she held them back. Squall Leonhart... his name haunted her like a shade, tearing her attention away from her hard reality into the ethereal ballroom once more. She walked up to her father's doorway and watched him laying there on his bed. He looked the same as he always looked, perhaps there had been a mistake. Perhaps he would get better by morning. But somehow, as Rinoa walked in and took a seat by him, she knew that morning would never come for him.

"Daddy?" She asked.

"Rinoa," he whispered in a hoarse voice as he rolled his head to her. "I told you, I would be here when you returned right?" he smiled faintly, his pale sweat drenched face forming an expression that contained more sorrow than joy.

"Daddy, I need you -" Rinoa began, unable to keep her tears back. She felt his coarse hand on her face.

"No, hush, don't cry. I'm still here. Smile Rinoa, please?"

Rinoa forced a smile on her face, for him. Smiling and crying at the same time, it was hard.

"What did you do while you were away? Tell me, I haven't been outside for so long." he gently implored her.

"I went to a dance," Rinoa whispered, squeezing his hand in hers as she whispered her tear drenched words. "I met a boy. . . he was wonderful. Maybe daddy, when you get better, I'll bring him here to visit you."

He nodded, smiling in silent interest.

Rinoa looked away, her eyes glittering as she thought back to the dance. "I tried to teach him how to dance," she chuckled sarcastically suddenly, "I wasn't very good at it. I'm afraid I might have scared him away. Maybe, you can teach him a few steps and . . . maybe he'll be a little less afraid .. of me."

The general weakly squeezed her hand forcing her to look back at him. "Rinoa, there is something I need to tell you."

"Is this the story you promised me?" Rinoa asked gently.

"Yes," the general whispered with uncertainty in his voice, "this is my story, the most important story I have to tell."

"Alright," Rinoa choked out, knowing that this was also his last story. "I'm listening, daddy."

"It happened fifteen years ago, Rinoa. Me and your mother, we went one morning to a tiny town called Winhill. It's the southernmost village on this continent," he told.

She nodded in understanding.

"We met this woman," he continued, "her last name was Loire, and her husband was a Galbadian soldier who died in a skirmish with some Estharians. It's tragic but that's not what's important. She had a son, about your age. Do you remember anything about this Rinoa?" he asked.

Rinoa shook her head. "No, I remember nothing."

The general closed his eyes quietly reminiscing. "That lady Loire wasn't happy to see us but that was understandable since we were intruding on her. But you see, your mother gave you to me and I took you for a walk, and after we walked away from her things turned ugly."

"What happened?"

The general hesitated for a moment before he continued. "We . . . we were attacked, by a sorceress. She was dying. I tried to protect you but she was so strong, too strong, even for me, I'm sorry."

Rinoa reached over and placed her hand on his chest. "Don't be, I understand."

"She passed her powers onto you. . . ."

After a moment of silence Rinoa spoke up again. "What happened then?"

" Then a young man showed up, it was that little boy Loire from the future .. .and beside him . . .was you."

Her father looked over at her and placed his hand on her cheek he smiled gently.

"You looked exactly the way you do now, so beautiful and bright. I couldn't believe my eyes. Then you . . . fought the evil sorceress beside that boy. Something happened, things took a ghastly turn. I didn't know what to do. I-"

Her father was consumed suddenly by a fit of coughs. Rinoa reached over to pat his back until they went away.

"Rinoa," he said then with a sudden sense of urgency as he caught her arm. "You need to go find him, the boy Loire in our time. Your mother made me promise to tell you about him and the events of that day and I must keep that vow. He is the only one who can help you now. You two are bound together by destiny. You must promise me that you will find him. This is my last wish."

"Daddy, I-"

"Promise, Rinoa." he ordered her.

Rinoa closed her eyes. The voices in her mind echoed Squall Leonhart. Perhaps some things were never meant to be.

"I promise." She whispered.

"You must never tell anyone what I tell you now, understand? No one except Loire."

Rinoa nodded and kissed him on his forehead.

The general laid back and relaxed. "Maybe Rinoa, it won't end the same horrible way this time. Maybe . . this time you'll defeat her."

Closing his eyes, the general sighed as though he had finally given in to the pattern of fate that was meant to be. He could only hope that as the wheel of time turned, this time the past had been changed enough so that his daughter's life would not be cruelly cut short. Maybe this time, Loire would come through for her.

He passed away a few moments later.

"You're taking your dog with us?" Seifer asked incredulously. He frowned at the large animal that had just followed Rinoa into the train. There was no reply as Rinoa walked past Seifer and took a seat in back of the train. Angelo sat close to her feet, panting. She kept her eyes away from his as though she was sleep walking.

"What's wrong?" Seifer asked, as the train jolted into motion.

Rinoa kept her face a mask of ice. "How has the president been? Has he voiced any objections to our plan?"

"No, the only objection the president has presented is his need to get to the television station as fast as possible."

Rinoa shrugged.

"It is a bit sadistic." Seifer added with uncertainty.

Rinoa glared at him. "The terrorists in Timber have gone too far. They deserve this and more."

"But this, this is unlike anything I would ever expect from you."

Rinoa leaned back, allowing Angelo to place his gentle head on her lap. "Follow your orders, Seifer and leave the moral judgements to me."

She closed her eyes so that Seifer would leave her alone. In the back of her mind she wandered back to Timber, more than a year ago, when she met him, back when unicorns still existed, when rainbows weren't painted in black, when her hands weren't stained with filth.

It was a morning in midsummer when Rinoa was with her father in Timber. She had walked down the street from the Timber hotel to pick up some breakfast for him before he woke when she saw a young man laughing with his comrades on a street corner. They were all about her age, two males one female, joking, laughing, playing. At that moment she would have given anything to be part of that group, to be normal. They took no notice of her as she paused on the opposite side of the street and watched them curiously.

"The only reason you beat me, Almasy, was because the sun was in my eyes." the young lady said.

"Yeah all twenty four times." the red head male said.

"Hey shut up Roger, I don't even want to count how many times I kicked your sorry butt." The female retorted. "Can we duel again Seifer? I'll make it this time."

Seifer shrugged. "I'll take it easy on you this time, Maggie."

Maggie chuckled. "You'll be a SeeD soon for sure. You're the most gifted fighter in Garden."

Rinoa stood there listening quietly. A duel, how exciting. Was this how normal teenagers spent their lives? This was absolute fantasy. A smile formed on her lips as she watched Maggie playfully slap Seifer for making an obscene remark. Roger mockingly joined in to attack Seifer who pretended to be in pain.

Laughing, the gang walked away. Rinoa followed them with her eyes until they were gone. Then she continued on her way, a small smile on her lips and bottomless gorge in her heart. She could never be normal, she could only pretend, always and forever with the bane of sorcery on her back.

Later that night as she walked down the same street things turned ugly.

"Your money or your life," a man hissed in her ear from the shadows.

Rinoa felt the prick of the man's blade at her throat although she could not see his face. The stench of urine and sweat surrounded her, alerting her to the man's presence. For a moment she considered attacking the derelict to teach him a lesson about mugging young women but it was too dangerous. Someone might see that she was a sorceress. So, reaching into her pocket Rinoa pulled out a small pouch of gil. As she handed it to the man he shoved her forward and ran away. He only made it to the corner before he was stopped by a figure in white.

Into the streetlight the tramp stumbled as Seifer stepped forward, his gunblade outstretched.

"Give the lady back her gil," Seifer ordered.

Rinoa appeared beside them.

Trembling, the man reached over to hand Rinoa back her gil, yet, a second before it reached her fingers, the man smiled and drew back. His buddies attacked Seifer from behind with crude weapons made of sticks and junk metal. A white cloud appeared in Rinoa's palm as she cast holy upon the attackers. They were thrown away from Seifer. The derelicts rolled about the filthy ground groaning in pain. Rinoa's eyes flared yellow as she cast Thundaga on the man who had tried to steal from her. He cried out in pain as the thunder struck him in a mighty bolt. Regaining his composure, Seifer slashed his gunblade wildly at the fallen nincompoops. The fools realized too late that they were no match for the powerful pair and took to the darkness of the alleys, running for their lives. Funny though, back then, Rinoa would not have taken their lives. She was not the monster she had become, yet.

Seifer gave her a wild smile as he tossed his hair back.

"I see you didn't need my assistance after all Madame Sorceress."

Rinoa turned red. "Ssh, it's a secret between you and me. Thanks for your help, Seifer."

He raised an eyebrow. "You know my name? Should I be afraid?"

Rinoa quickly shook her head. "No, I mean you no harm. I saw you today with your friends. Will you forgive me for eavesdropping?"

Seifer shrugged. "Forgiven."

Rinoa sighed with a measure of relief. "You won't tell anyone about my powers will you?

Seifer smirked then. "You'll have to give me something in return for that?"

Rinoa frowned. "You want a bribe?" she asked.

"No, a kiss will do."

As Rinoa broke out of her reverie, she realized that those days truly were, a long time ago.

"Balamb Transit will be arriving in Timber momentarily," the voice announced over the loudspeaker.

"Squall, you don't still have a bad feeling about us kidnaping Deling do you?" Xu asked. "Zell, Selphie? How about you two?"

Selphie fidgeted in her seat. "I think it's a bad idea. They took Cid, so now we're taking Deling? It's not going to solve much."

"Well, we'll have a bargaining chip," Zell remarked.

"Squall?" Xu asked again.

"I'm under your command Xu." Squall said, simply reminding her that he was not about to take the burden onto himself and make a decision.

Xu shook her head and pulled out her katana. "The president is being taken into Timber by the train The Tempest. We are going to highjack it."

The Tempest came into view as Rinoa and Seifer appeared along side it in their vehicle. Rinoa pulled out her cell phone.

"Zone? It's me, the princess. Tell me, are all the preparations set?"

"The preparations are done but there is just one thing. . ."

"What?" Rinoa asked as she watched Seifer fiddle with the control panel.

"There are more than just pheasant terrorists. There are SeeDs here too."

Rinoa smiled suddenly. "No, that is excellent."

Seifer looked up. "What's excellent?"

"Your friends have come to visit, Seifer."

"There are three active resistance groups that will board the train," Zone continued. "Group A and C are working together. Group B is independent. A and C will enter from the front and the back, C is undecided. The SeeDs are unpredictable as always."

"Alright." Rinoa said. She hung up the phone and leaned towards the control panel.

Fifteen minutes into their plan to take The Tempest, the Woodland Hawks realized that they had stepped into a trap. Aaron had sensed something was wrong when he realized that there were no Galbadian soldiers on the train, in fact it was on autopilot. He motioned for his group members to retreat when the floorboards suddenly opened up sending two of the members of his team into a gory death in the train tracks. He reached over to his side and grabbed his girlfriend Laura and the remaining members of his group followed his lead in escaping.

It was too late.

A wall of fire picked off another member, burning him to ash as he screamed for them not to abandon him. The last two were taken out as Aaron neared the back of the train. So close. They were decapitated by a swinging pendulum.

Aaron, in shock from what he saw, grabbed Laura, the only remainder of his team and stepped out into the daylight. They stood there at the back of the train looking for a good moment to jump when the floor under them slanted. Laura slide into the tracks.

"No!" Aaron yelled as he tried unsuccessfully to pull her back. Her dress caught on the rail and soon she was nothing but a corpse attached to the train, dragged beyond recognition. Aaron stood up and swore revenge on the Galbadians knowing that he would pursue them for the rest of his breathing days. However, without a sound to warn him, a gun fired out of no where and shot him in the head.

His face exploded from the impact.

"This is too easy, do you think it might be a trap?" Zell asked with uncertainty as the group jumped onto the roof of the Tempest.

"I got this information from a very reliable source." Xu said. "Don't worry."

"Sssh." Selphie whispered. "Hey, did you guys just hear that? It sounded like someone screaming for help."

"Stop it Selphie! It's just your imagination." Xu told her.

"I hear it too," Zell suddenly pitched in.

Squall glanced around him. Something was wrong. He watched Xu shake her head in disdain as she jumped from the roof into the divide between the two cars. Selphie followed her, then Zell and finally Squall went in as well.

The train was carpeted in red with red leather on the seats and red wallpaper. It looked somewhat shabby for a presidential train.

"Yo, this place sure is empty," Zell said as two darts flew out of nowhere and made way for his head. Squall saw them coming a mile away and shoved Zell aside. The darts impaling themselves into the wall behind him.

"It is a trap!" Selphie exclaimed. Xu reached over to the door they had just entered. It was stuck.

Squall tugged at the handle. It wouldn't budge.

"Duck!" Zell suddenly yelled. The group bent down as a giant pendulum swung over their heads.

"Those Galbadian bastards!" Xu cursed.

"The windows!" Selphie suggested as she ran over and banged on them. The glass wouldn't break. A wall of fire appeared and cut her off from the rest of the group. Selphie stared in shock, unable to move as the fire closed in.

"Selphie!" Xu yelled helplessly. Squall got up from his position and dashed over. He flinched slightly but went straight into the fire, reaching for Selphie.

"No Squall!" Xu suddenly exclaimed. However, as soon as Squall reached into the flames, it disappeared. Selphie was left alone, cringing in fright.

"What's going on?" Zell asked in puzzlement.

"The door is open again," Xu said.

Rinoa watched Squall pull the young girl to safety. Her finger lingered over the button for the fiery trap. One simple move of her limb and she could put an end to his life. Squall Leonhart would die. And the dead can never betray, reject, or hurt.

But, if she didn't.

She just watched him complete his act of heroism as he pulled the young girl to the door. The little thing in the sunshine colored dress was crying softly and he helped her out of the room. He had put her games to a definite halt with his act of heroism. It just didn't seem right suddenly. Rinoa closed her eyes and lost herself in her thoughts. She didn't see the look of surprise on their faces as the train came to a stop, nor did she see the relief that settled on the group as they walked onto steady ground.

_A sorceress or a mortal? Which one was she?_

If she was truly a complete sorceress, why did she feel such sympathy for their plight? It was such weakness on her part to feel so much for the sacrifice of a single boy. But truthfully, he had beguiled her scarce curiosity. She did not want him to die. Rinoa followed his figure with her eyes until they were all out of the sight of her many cameras. Only then did she turn her attention back to Seifer who was still shaking his head in disgust for some of the things she did. The gruesome death of the girlfriend of the Woodland Hawks leader was still troubling him. The vehicle came to a stop near the outskirts of Timber.

"I'm going for a walk, I'll meet you at the television station," Rinoa told him absently, not waiting for a reply. Rinoa motioned for Angelo to come with her as she walked into Timber.

"I'm going to go ask for directions." Xu said the group stood in the Timber plaza. She walked over to one of the many cottage like house that lined the street and began to knock on the door. However something caught Squall's eye and he looked away. It was the girl from the dance, she was standing in the darkness of a back alleyway, watching.

"Squall," Selphie called. "Aren't you coming with us?" she asked, pointing at the opened door.

Squall shook his head. "I'll wait here."

She shrugged and disappeared into the house.

Squall turned to the young lady that fearfully walked up to him. It was an eerie feeling but she still looked so familiar, like the way she had seemed that night at the dance. On both occasions he could have sworn that he saw her before. Now as she came closer step by step, her blue dress fluttering gently in the wind, the deja vu was overwhelming.

"Do you remember me?" She asked tentatively as she motioned for her large dog to sit at her side.

"You left suddenly."

She smiled. "What's your name?"

"Squall Leonhart."

"Squall, meet my dog, Angelo." Rinoa said. Angelo raised a paw, getting ready to shake hands but Squall ignored him.

"Do you live here?" he asked her.

"No, I live in Deling. Perhaps if you drop by sometime . . ." Rinoa offered, not quite able to believe in her own intrusiveness. A feeling of sorrow overcame her as she spoke of Deling and for an unknown reason, she wanted to share it with him.

"My father died last night, Squall. I'm an orphan now .. just like all of you."

He said nothing. He had never been the one to bother listening to the burdens of others, but her words struck a cord within him. He had a dream when he mysteriously dozed off in the train on the way to Timber. He dreamt that he watched his father die on a cobber stone walkway while his mother watched forlornly at her window. A single bullet ruptured his chest and Laguna Loire perished one sunny morning in Winhill. It was more than a dream, it seemed as though those events actually happened a long time ago and someone was sending these messages to him. He had never been the one to fall asleep spontaneously.

"I . . . I guess I just wanted to tell someone that." The dark haired girl continued quietly. "It's strange to be all alone in the world."

"We're all alone." He answered.

She nodded. "I know that, but there was always the hope for something better."

"I never knew my father," he told her but as soon as the words escaped him lips he wished he could shove them back in. Here he was revealing the most personal facts of his life to a girl whose name he didn't even know.

"Your father would have been proud of you today for what you did on The Tempest, when you rescued that girl" she told him watching his eyes narrow in silent shock. Before he could speak she answered the question she knew he was about to ask. "I'm part of a resistance group. My group isn't active so you might not heard of us, we call ourselves the Forest Owls." It made her want to laugh - Forest Owls, Woodland Hawks. Funny, she had just made herself a member of the group she had just annihilated.

"Everyone here seems to be part of a resistance group." He spoke in understanding.

"I must be going now, Squall." Rinoa said sadly as she noticed the house behind him stir.

He caught her by the arm suddenly. Rinoa stared at his hand which clasped her forearm and then followed it up to his eyes.

"What's your name?" he asked once more.

"I'll tell you the next time we meet." Rinoa replied as he gently removed his hand from her. "We will meet again, I know we will." she said slowly, choosing her words carefully as she turned and ran back into the alley. Angelo followed at her heels.

Squall watched the shadows into which she had vanished. Behind him, his colleagues stepped out of the cottage.

"The television station is nearby, Squall." Xu said shocking him out of his stupor.

"Yo Squall, you look surprised. Did you see something?" Zell asked.

Squall ignored him. "Let's go."

For Seifer it was hard to believe that it was only two years ago. Timber. He had nothing to do as he stood at the Broadcast Station waiting for Deling to finish his speech. Rinoa. He had met her here, in Timber, an eternity ago.

She was pretty when he first saw her. She was one of those innocent little damsel that thought 69 was just the number that came before 70. Now that he thought about it, she wasn't even that pretty. Just innocent. Like one of those pathetic stray dogs that get kicked around by drunks on their way home to their nagging wenches. It was late and he was in a good mood so he did a good deed and saved her from getting mugged. She acted real grateful and all, telling him not to tell anyone that she was a sorceress.

The truth was that he was never too good at following rules, Garden's rules, Galbadia's rules, society's unspoken rules. Well people just don't date sorceresses, they're supposed to be evil. The entire bloody murderer spiel. In the end he wanted to dance with the devil around the hell fire and see if he would really bite back. But you see, the devil doesn't, he just leads you around in circles until you trip and fall on your ass in the wildfire. After that the devil runs away with your arch enemy giggling like a fucking ten year old.

But he would be a liar to say that he didn't love her once. He loved her when she ran laughing through the apple orchards under the midnight moon, loved her as they spent boring afternoons lying in the meadows naming the clouds, love her as she frowned comedically each time he told her one of his wild schemes.

"Seifer," she used to say, "I would give anything to be like you. To be normal, to go to parties, to eat hot dogs. . sometimes I just hate being a sorceress."

He laughed. "Sure, I'll bring you some hot dogs, Rinoa."

She looked away then. "That's not what I meant."

"I know what you mean," he replied then as he caught her hand, watching the disappointment on her face. "I'll make you normal, Rinoa. Just stay with me and you'll forget all your gloomy mish mash."

She smiled then and he thought that he said the right thing, pushed all the right buttons but he was wrong. He realize now that she never wanted to be normal. She wanted to be better than normal but in the end even more than that, she wanted to someone to share her darkness with, someone who he would never be. Women are particular. They talk in riddles and rhymes but in the end, they know exactly what they are after.

"Where is Rinoa?" Seifer asked Zone suddenly as the young man showed up, alone.

Zone shrugged. "No one tells Rinoa what to do. She's the sorceress's pet. She does whatever she likes."

Seifer ground his teeth as he watched Vinzer Deling end his speech.

"It is for the purpose of resolving these issues that I will have discussions with the leaders of other countries. I'd like to introduce my ambassador, who will serve as my agent and partner in these discussions with world leaders... the Sorceress..."

The door burst open suddenly and Seifer saw Xu, Zell and Selphie appear. Squall was there was well, hanging on the fringe. Xu ran up and attacked Deling with her katana but Seifer rushed forward and threw her aside.

"How dare you Seifer." Zell exclaimed as he helped Xu up.

"Shut up Zell!" Squall shouted, but it was too late.

"You betrayed Garden!" Zell yelled.

Deling laughed. "So you are from Garden? If anything happens to me-"

"What are you talking about?" Xu chipped in suddenly. "You kidnaped our head-" A fire spell burst forth from Seifer's hand and knocked Xu onto her back. He ran forth and pointed his gunblade at her throat.

"I've had enough of this. How dare you attack the president." Seifer felt his hand shake with anticipation. It was close, a word more and Deling would know that they had taken the headmaster. Where was Rinoa? He couldn't take them all alone.

The sorceress Edea came to his rescue. A thick green fog covered the broadcast station, blinding the SeeD members. Seifer reached over and grabbed Deling with Zone's aid. They escaped through the back. On the way out he bumped head first into Rinoa.

"Where were you?" He snapped at her.

"Where's Edea?" Rinoa asked furiously. Seifer handed Deling over to Zone and he continued to try to stare down Rinoa.

"Don't you mean where's Squall? Maybe it is you who must decide where your loyalty lies."

Rinoa glared at him and left insulted.

"Is everyone okay?" Selphie asked as the mist cleared. Zell was on his back getting to his knees, Xu rolled over onto her stomach and tried to get into an upright position. Squall was already on his feet although his steps were slightly unsteady. There was something in that cloud that had made them fall asleep.

"Are they gone?" Xu asked wearily.

Squall looked about and realized that Deling and the sorceress were gone from the broadcast tower. He ran over to the back door and glanced out, hoping that it was not too late. As he looked out the door he saw no one. Suddenly something nudged his hand. Looking down, Squall saw Angelo. Licking his hand once, the large dog bounded down the alleyway and disappeared.


	6. chapter5

Chapter 5 - Of Guns and Butterflies

Zell felt the worry nagging at him all through the train ride to Galbadia Garden. When they came to the small forest on the way to East Academy, he could no longer repress his thoughts.

The group of four took a break and checked their junctions preparing for the worse should the forest be infested with hostile inhabitants.

"Squall," Zell asked turning his attention to the unspoken leader of the group, "do you think Garden is really in danger?"

Silence.

Zell clenched his fists in frustration. The silence said more than words could. Selphie looked away, tucking her hands behind her back. Xu stood with here hands clasped in front of her, studying the ground in forged fascination.

"Squall," Zell implored once more, realizing that he was the only one capable of answering honestly. Itching to move, Zell walked over and grabbed Squall by his wrists and shook him.

"Squall," Zell whined once more.

Scowling furiously, Squall shoved Zell aside and crossed his arms over his chest.

"There is no telling now that may happen," Squall snapped.

Zell sighed and allowed his hands to dangle wearily at his side.

"It's all just too confusing," Xu admitted. "I don't know what we are doing anymore."

"Maybe they'll let Cid go," Selphie suggested. "Galbadians are mean but they're not evil."

"I don't want anything to happen to Garden," Zell admitted. "Especially not if it's because of me."

**ooooo**

Squall Leonhart stood at the window in the reception room of Galbadia Garden. He looked down at the students training on the outskirts of the academy. Once upon a time he and Seifer had done the same. Now they were two bitter foes fighting a war with no purpose except to protect a sorceress bent on destruction. He remembered his wish for a new life and realized that this was not what he had hoped for. It was a mess of confusion, full of things that nipped at his mind like demons from a forgotten past. Looking about the room he saw Selphie catching a quick nap on the leather couch. Zell was staring into nothingness, lost in thought. He absently tightened his gloves once in a while, an old habit that he had since childhood.

The door to the reception room opened and Xu walked in followed by the headmaster of Galbadia Garden, Martine.

"They've taken Cid?" Martine asked in shock.

"Deling denied it." Xu said in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Deling didn't take the headmaster." Squall said, speaking slowly as if he was explaining matters to child. "It was the sorceress Edea."

Martine looked downcast. "Then there is only one course of action to take. I knew it would come down to this. You all know about the sorceress being appointed as the peace ambassador for the Galbadian government. However, this ambassador thing is just a cover up. There will be no peace talks, only threats."

Martine gestures to them. "Meet me at the entrance. I'll have your orders for you then."

**ooooo**

Irvine Kinneas watched the butterflies dancing in midair. Using his gunpowder stained fingers he tipped his cowboy hat further over his eyes. He hummed an old lullaby under his breath hearing the lyrics in his head.

_'Sounds of the rude world, heard in the day_'

His mind meandered over the peaceful landscape of his thoughts pausing now and then at an interesting sight. His mind lingered at a memory of a pretty face, a slender ankle, a soft waist under his fingers. He reached over and ran a finger over the smooth well oiled exterior of his gun.

' _Led__ by moonlight, have all passed away_'

A butterfly gingerly landed on his index finger.

"Kinneas! Irvine Kinneas!" Someone yelled out of nowhere.

A frown touched Irvine's lips as he made his finger into the shape of a gun and pretended to shoot the butterfly. Getting up from his comfortable place in the grass, Irvine laid his eyes on the small gathering of SeeDs.

"This is Irvine Kinneas. He will be your sharpshooter. Leave whenever you're ready." Martine advised as he left.

Irvine felt the hair in the back of his neck prick up as he recognized the small group in front of him. Squall, Zell, Selphie, it was the orphanage gang. He winked at the girl with the bouncing hair.

_'Beautiful dreamer, Queen of my song '_

The memories rushed back to him of Edea's orphanage, of running and squealing through the glorious meadow, collecting seashells near the light house, of being young. But the childhood days were gone and so were they. Looking at their blank faces, Irvine realized that they didn't even recognize him. With bitterness in his usual light heart, he smiled at them.

' _List'__ while I woo thee, with soft melody._

There was someone missing, however, and Irvine felt a degree of sadness as he remembered Quistis. Had he managed to protect her that winter morning ten years ago perhaps she would be here, a SeeD as well. But no one could have prevented her from leaving, no one except maybe Squall. Irvine drove the memories from his mind. He was not here to dole out blame as much as some deserved it. Let Squall live with his conscience, he should have known that some sacrifices just weren't meant to be accepted.

"Bang." Irvine said cheerfully as he aimed his mock gun at Martine's back. "Well well, look what we have here," Irvine said with a happy smirk as he eyed the two girls.

"Irvine Kinneas?" Xu ventured tentatively. "You will help us assassinate the sorceress."

Irvine waved his hand nonchalantly. "What else is new?"

"What's your problem?" Zell asked gruffly.

"Those are the silliest pants I've ever seen!" Irvine at Zell's jeans and bursted out laughing. Zell jumped up in fury.

"Whoa, guys!" Xu exclaimed stepping between them. "I better put the two of you on different teams."

Irvine rubbed his hands together.

"Can I choose the teams? I want to be on the same team with these two hottie girls."

Xu laughed nervously, slightly flattered.

"Good grief!" Zell yelled.

"Umm guys, maybe we should be going," Selphie ventured.

"Hey you're a pretty one. What's your name?" Irvine asked.

"Selphie."

"Hmm sounds familiar."

"You're a psycho."

"Thanks," Irvine replied.

"Squall," Zell whined. "Aren't you going to yell at him?"

"Let's go," Squall replied tritely, ignoring Zell once more.

"Yeah," Xu said following up. "We need to be leaving. You too chicken wuss."

Irvine bent over laughing and pointed at Zell.

"Chicken wuss! Is that what they call you?"

"Shut up!" Zell hollered.

"Beautiful Dreamer," is a children's song found on KIDoodles. Words and music

by Stephen C. Foster. Copyright unknown.


	7. chapter6

Chapter 6 - The Love of a Sorceress

"Child, tell me what's troubling you," Edea said as the two stepped into her room. Rinoa sighed and tossed her hair back. She hesitated to speak.

"You must never hide anything from me." Edea reminded her as she reached over to stroke Rinoa's pale cheek with her talons. Rinoa looked down, staring at the ground with determination burning in her caramel eyes.

"Edea . . . my father passed away last night." She said in a voice barely above a whisper. "As much as I have never cared for mortals . . he was my father. I miss him. I know what you have told me about being strong but sometimes it's so hard."

"It's alright sweet child," Edea whispered under her breath as she reached out with her slender arms and embraced the girl. "My poor child, life has been so cruel to you." Rinoa stared into space as Edea held her. She felt Edea's arms around her like two ropes of ice, but at this moment she did not care who embraced her. An orphan cannot choose the parents that take her in.

"My sweet." Edea continued, as she stroked Rinoa's bare arm. "Now we must do something for you tonight to take your mind off this."

_But I don't want to take my mind off him_, Rinoa thought to herself but was wise enough not to say it.

"I know." Edea suddenly remarked. "You'll sit on my throne tonight at the parade. Will you like that my angel?"

**ooooo**

"Does everyone understand their role in the assassination?" Xu asked.

Beneath the golden archway the small gathering of SeeDs stood. To Xu's question, Selphie nodded, Zell shrugged, Irvine crossed his arms and Squall gave no response.

"Then we'll meet back here at 1200 hours. Until then I guess we are dismissed." Xu said and the group dispersed. After they were gone Squall was left standing by himself near the entrance to the park. It was a good five hours before the sorceress's parade and what he was about to do until then, he had no idea. He had begun to wander away from the archway when a girl in blue caught his eye.

She walked swiftly from the direction of the presidential mansion, taking no notice of him. With one hand she reached up for the ring hanging around her throat and closed her palm over it. He was about to call her name when he realized that she had to yet to tell him what it was. So he did what he had done before, he reached out and grabbed her arm as she dashed by him. She spun around in surprise as she felt his tight grip about her forearm once more.

Her face erupted in a smile. "Squall." she said but quickly hushed herself and glanced around nervously. She leaned closer to him.

"We can't talk here, meet me at the Tomb of the Unknown King, it's not far from here. We'll talk then alright?"

Before he could respond she had already untangled herself from him and had disappeared into the park.

**ooooo**

Rinoa rushed into her father's office and began to look through his files for the name Loire. She remembered him telling her that he had been a Galbadian soldier. After a few moments of going through his files, Rinoa came across an old copy of the rebel paper Timber Maniacs.

Laguna Loire.

He was a journalist for a resistance paper? Rinoa wondered. How was she connected by destiny to the son of a man who wrote for a terrorist publication? Well, it was no more preposterous than falling for a member of SeeD. She opened up the crumbling old pages to Laguna's article. It contained a picture of a bar with a lady in a white sweater tending it. Perhaps her eyes were playing tricks on her but for a moment she could have sworn there was a resemblance between Squall and that lady. Rinoa shook her head to clear her thoughts. Was she so obsessed with that boy that she saw him everywhere she looked?

Reading the faded print, Rinoa began to gain an idea of what kind of man Laguna was. He was a verbose, optimistic man who was slightly naive and completely clueless. She just hoped that his son did not take after his father. She flipped the paper aside and began to search for the name Laguna Loire in her father's files. She came to file for a soldier lost in battle. Opening it, she saw the chipper face of a young dark haired man looking back at her. He had long hair, about the length of her own. She estimated his age to be about thirty. She folded up the picture and placed it in her pocket. The rest of the file was of no help. It ended when he disappeared in combat at Esthar. She had her job cut out for her. Sighing, Rinoa picked up her Cardinal and walked out of the mansion. Standing on the corner waiting for the bus to arrive she noticed the guard watching her.

"How are things going Joe?" She asked.

"Good evening, Ms. Heartilly." he replied.

An awkward silence ensued until Rinoa pipped up again.

"Were you ever part of the Galbadian army Joe?" She asked.

He nodded immediately. "I served under your father for fourteen years. He was a outstanding leader. Let my express my sincerest ap-"

"Did you ever know a man named Laguna Loire?" Rinoa interrupted.

Joe rubbed his chin looking thoughtful. "I . . I can't say I-"

Rinoa pulled the photo out of her pocket and waved it in front of the old man's face. A look of surprise crossed his eyes

"Oh you're looking for Laguna! That old dirty bastard, of course I remember good old Laguna. He was buddies with Kiros and Ward. The three of them just vanished one day. I wonder what happened to them. Hey, Laguna used to have the worst crush on Julia Heartilly." The guard turned red suddenly as he realized his slip. "I'm sorry." he apologized.

Rinoa shrugged as she realized the man had nothing useful to tell her. She turned as the bus arrived.

"Wait, I'm sorry. He carried a machine gun, had a strange fetish for monsters. He had some strange monster accessories but anyone with hair like that you would expect to be somewhat whacked you know . ."

Rinoa ignored him and left. Sighing, she decided not to ask around for help anymore. She wasn't going to find Loire's son unless there was some sort of miracle and even if she did find him what would she say? Hello, you don't know me Mr. Loire but . . um yes I am the evil sorceress Rinoa Heartilly, hey don't run, come back you little twit. Anyway if they were destined to be together he would have to show up sooner or later, that was how destiny worked.

**ooooo**

"Hey Selphie." Irvine interrupted as he saw the young girl standing in front of the Deling Hotel. "Whatcha doing?"

Selphie looked surprised to see him, she shrugged and stood on tip toe as she nodded her head to the sound.

"I hear music, nice music coming from .. somewhere."

Irvine chuckled with delight.

"You mean the bar in Deling Hotel?

She widened her eyes. "A bar?"

Irvine nodded and grabbed her hand.

"Let's go inside. They serve a good martini."

"Irvine!" Selphie whimpered at the mysterious gunman. "I'm underage!"

"C'mon." Irvine said, as he began to drag in the direction of the entrance. She planted her heels firmly in the sidewalk but couldn't keep her place as she feedably followed.

He threw his arm over her as they entered the glitzy hotel lobby. The guard standing near the entrance to the red stairs didn't give Irvine a send glance as he tipped his hat at the burly older man.

Selphie felt her mouth open in surprise as she followed him down the spiraling staircase. "You've been here before!" She exclaimed.

"Heck, I come here every time I'm in Deling." Irvine countered as he playfully patted her small hand. Everything about her was so tiny and quaint, like a doll on its shelf in the toy store. She hopped down the rest of the steps, hair bouncing wildy as her shoes tapped on the tile floor. Irvine walked down slowly as though he was absolutely bored.

She drew her hands up to her mouth as she saw a pianist on the stage gently stroking notes out of the instrument.

"Lookie!" She whispered in delight. "It's the music I heard outside."

Irvine shrugged, tipped his hat back with a cultivated nonchalance as he led her to a table.

"It's so dark here." she muttered. "Gloomy."

"It's dark so no one will see you when you pass out from the drinks," Irvine replied.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"If you get drunk I'm going to leave you here."

Irvine chuckled. "Takes a lot to get me drunk Selphie. We'll have the usual."

Irvine said to the waitress as he winked at her.

"So, ya really like music, huh?" Irvine asked as he sat back and folded his hands behind his head.

"Yeah," Selphie said as she shifted eagerly in her seat. "I'm in charge of the Garden Festival."

"Well, ya know how to sing?"

"I can sing a train song," Selphie said happily.

"Well how about, if you sing your train song for me, I'll sing you a lullaby? Deal?" Irvine asked.

Selphie looked thoughtful.

"Is it a good lullaby?"

"The best." Irvine said with a smile. "When you sing it think of me, and when I sing the train song I'll think of my little Selphie."

She broke into a smile.

"Okay Irvine."

Irvine flicked some soot off his trench as he reflected on the past. Maybe one day she'll remember that she had heard it once before, a long time ago.

_'"Selphie?__ What's the matter? Can't sleep?" __Irvine__ asked as he approached the tiny girl crying by the window._

_"I miss my mom," she sniffed sadly. "My dog Danny and our tipsy house by Obel lake."_

_"Aaawww."__Irvine__ said with sympathy as he patted her gently. "Don'cha worry. Everyone misses there old life sometimes. Things are gonna be alright."_

_She ran her hands over her teary eyes._

_"Did I wake you?" she asked apologetically as she ran her eyes over the sleeping forms of Quistis and Seifer. "I don't wanna be trouble."_

_Irvine__ shook his head vigorously. "Never. Tell me Selphie what did you mom back at Obel lake do when you couldn't sleep?"_

_"She used to sing to me," Selphie whispered. "She used to sing lots of songs until the soldiers came and did something to her. Then she didn't sing anymore, she didn't move anymore either. The neighbors came and brought me here. They said that my mom was gone, that she's somewhere else watching me but I called them liars, she's right here lying on the floor. I just wanted them to help me wake her up but they didn't listen to me. I hope she's okay without me, maybe Danny will take care of her while I'm gone."_

_Irvine__ nodded as he pulled her away from the window. "C'mon Selphie, I'll sing to you. I'll sing you a lullaby that my sister used to sing to me."_

_Selphie__ nodded at him, "Will you? Please?"_'

Irvine looked over at the bouncy haired teen sitting by his side. She peeked at him and smiled. How happy she was, maybe it was better that the past was forgotten. It was wrong to sing this song to her and remind her of all the things a cruel world could do. Here, living here, in her sugar plum world of fairies and trains, it was wrong to wake her. But he wanted her to join him in his memory because he didn't want to be alone, at the windowsill while they were all sleeping in blissful oblivion.

"It goes like this." he said and quietly began to sing.

**ooooo**

"Squall, you came, I didn't think you would" Rinoa said as she walked up to the entrance of the tomb. Standing there in the overgrown weeds of the forgotten ruin, the walls were the only witness to their forbidden meeting.

Squall looked away from her, slightly embarrassed by her gratitude.

"If you don't tell me your name soon I'm going to make one up for you," he said sarcastically but came off less malicious than he usually was.

Rinoa placed her hands on her hips and gave him a taunting smile.

"If you could, what would you call me?" She asked.

Meanwhile Squall pressed his lips together in a gesture of defiance. So she had put him on the spot. I would call you Quistis, he thought but the concept immediately careened into oblivion. He didn't understand why he was suddenly obsessed with that name now that he had joined up with this particular group of SeeDs. Maybe he had made up that name and there was no lady out there to whom it belonged. He was alone so much sometimes it was hard to tell the events in his mind apart from the events of the outside world.

"Squall?" Rinoa asked. "It's okay if you don't feel like answering that question."

Squall realized that he had kept her waiting too long.

"I'm sorry. There are just some thoughts in my head that I need to sort out." he told her but realized suddenly that he had said too much again. There was just something about her that made him want to trust her and he didn't like it. It seemed almost as though a long time ago, before he had become jaded and uncaring, someone had said something that he had etched in his mind as deeply as the scar across his forehead. For fifteen years it laid dormant underneath the snowfield of his consciousness. Now every time he saw her, a bit of that snow melted and the past came closer to his reach.

"Tell me Squall, about your thoughts. I want to know what they are," Rinoa gently implored.

Squall watched her, the ethereal angel standing there in the sunlight with her hair covered with a halo of gold. The streams babbled and chuckled as it flowed over the sharp crevasses and breaks of the forgotten grounds. The walls here kept a secret that the world must never know. For in this desecrated site, a SeeD began to fall in love with a sorceress.

"I have these flashes of memories of this girl. Her name is Quistis but I don't know anything about her except that she connected to my childhood somehow." Squall paused and realized how ridiculous he sounded. "My sister Ellone, she never talks about the past but I know that if anyone would know who Quistis was it would be her. I just wish we were still on speaking terms . " he continued softly.

"Quistis..." Rinoa repeated testing the word on her tongue. She realized suddenly that she had heard the name before as well. Edea had mentioned it, yet under what context she had utterly forgotten. "I don't know," she said to him. "I'm in the same predicament as you, Squall." She said in a joking manner. "My father died telling me to find this young man he had met fifteen years ago. I don't even know where to start looking. He's supposed to be connected to my childhood as well. Funny how things are isn't it?" She asked him trying to draw a smile out of the thin line of his lips.

Only silence came from Squall as he lost himself once more in his own thoughts.

"Squall, how about it? When you find your mysterious lady and I find my mysterious man we'll go dancing again. What do you say?" She asked although she knew such a thing could never happen.

"Will that also be when you tell me your name?" he asked in mock irritation.

Rinoa laughed nervously. The conversation was quickly taking a precarious turn. Glancing at the time, Rinoa realized that she needed to get back early for the preparations for the sorceress's parade. She did not want to tell him she had to go but he didn't appear inclined to stay either.

"I'm sorry," he said to her, "I need to be going, I need to meet some people in Deling."

Rinoa nodded, glad that she was not the one to break the moment.

"I hope we see each other soon, Squall."

**ooooo**

"Zell!" Xu exclaimed, "You're late."

Irvine laughed. "And I thought it would be the ladies we were going to be waiting for."

Xu kicked him. "Stop being a sexist."

"Sorry" Zell said sheepishly, "Hey, check out my new gloves, I had them upgraded to Maverick."

"They look the same to me," Selphie remarked. "Are you sure you didn't get ripped off?"

"Guys!" Xu said, "Okay, you've had your fun, but we need to get into our positions now. Like we decided before, Me, Selphie and Zell are the Gateway team, well trap the sorceress under the archway. The sniper team, Squall, Irvine, you two will take your positions once the gate opens and the parade begins. Are there any questions?"

Silence.

"Alright," Xu said with a smile. "I guess we move out now. Good luck, Squall, Irvine."

Squall turned and stalked away. However as soon as he stopped in front of the clock tower of the carousel, Irvine piped up.

"Hey Squall, do you think Selphie likes me?"

Squall ignored him.

"Hey Squall, maybe we'll get a glance of the sorceress's killer, Rinoa Heartilly. Not many people have seen her but I caught a glance at her once. She's pretty hot for an assassin."

"You'll fall in love with anything won't you?" Squall asked in a malicious tone.

"Whoa." Irvine said. "No no, you've got it all wrong. She's as lovely as a monarch butterfly. Just wait."

Squall frowned and kept his eyes on the clock.

**ooooo**

Seifer had never been sure why he harbored such hatred for Squall Leonhart. It's just one of those things that's been happening for so long that you forget how it ever started. It used to be fun actually, back when he had a posse. Maggie, Roger, the disciplinary committee, they used to tease the hell out of the younger boy. The fun ended though, when the disciplinary committee ended.

"You are going to get yourself into deep shit," Maggie had said right before she left.

Funny, only now did Seifer realize how right she was. Sorceresses were dangerous for a reason. Rinoa Heartilly was a sorceress. Simple, elegant, logical. So why did he stay with her? Just to see how many rules he could break before all hell broke loose?

"Let's duel, Seifer," Rinoa had pleaded once, giggling under her breath.

"Sure," he had said. "I'll take it easy on you, girl."

He never expected that she would win. Girls, it was fun to frolic with them and all until they kick your ass. Then it was just plain embarrassing.

So she had been a good sport about it, casting only her weak spells. However, truthfully he had never expected her to be so strong. Why she probably had enough power to take over the world if she wanted.

But she didn't.

She just wanted to be normal.

Until now.

"Sorceresses don't smile," she told him gravely the other day.

"Yeah I know and they melt if they cry. Horse shit."

"Be serious."

"Who the hell are you? The wicked witch of the west?"

She chuckled then. He had drawn a smile out of her as he had not done for months. For a moment, they were back together, like before. Yet truthfully, he was not so sure if he wanted that past anymore, or if it was worth of trouble to revisit. In a teasing tone, she mocked him in good humor.

"I'll turn you into a frog Seifer."

**ooooo**

"Rinoa!" Seifer snapped as she entered the presidential mansion from the back door. "You're late again."

"Oh shut up, Seifer." Rinoa countered as she ran into Edea's private room. She caught herself and stood silently at the doorway as she saw Edea's hair shimmering in red as it twisted in midair. The strands shortened as they shrank into Edea's headpiece. The sorceress stood up, drawing her hands over her chest in a dance like gesture. Finally she stood upright and opened her yellow eyes which glowed bright in the dark room.

"Have you brought what I asked?" Edea asked quietly.

"Yes." Rinoa stepped forward with the Odine's Bangle. She handed it to Edea who placed the jewelry around her wrist.

"This will keep the unwieldy owner of this body under control until the parade is over." Edea explained.

Rinoa nodded. "I understand."

Edea walked over to Rinoa and stroked her face. "This is your night my dear. A long overdue reward for my most loyal companion. Tonight, all the savage mortals will hail you as their bright angel."

Rinoa cast her eyes down in modesty. "My gratitude -" she began.

"Hush." Edea suddenly said and allowed her hand to take Rinoa's in a gesture of kindness. "Come with me, I must go speak to them." Edea turned when Rinoa suddenly called out to her.

"Wait, Edea." She spoke up. "I know where Ellone is."

Edea turned and raised an eyebrow.

"Squall Leonhart has her. She is his sister."

Edea nodded. "Excellent. He has followed you here from Timber as expected?"

Rinoa shrugged. "SeeDs, they're not hard to manipulate."

Edea looked thoughtful for a moment. "The fact that he has Ellone calls for a change in plan, but as for tonight, things will go as we discussed." With that she turned and walked through the large intricate door that graced her chamber, Rinoa followed close behind.

The crowds were screaming with joy as Edea took her place at the podium. Deling stood to her right and Rinoa to her left. The wind blew a mess of confetti into her hair and Rinoa smiled at Edea as she walked higher onto the platform.

From the ground below, Rinoa did not see someone staring at her in shock.

Beside Squall, Irvine whistled with glee.

"Hey, that's girl! There she is!"

"She's Rinoa?" Squall asked in astonishment.

Irvine laughed as he saw Squall's gaping mouth. He reached over and patted Squall roughly on the back. "Hey, you have an eye for women after all. Stop drooling over her, she's not that pretty. Heck if you're getting this worked up over her, wait till you see some of the other ladies I know."

"She's Rinoa Heartilly," Squall whispered to himself, unable to believe his eyes.

"...Lowlifes...Shameless filthy wretches." Edea began "How you celebrate my ascension with such joy. Hailing the very one whom you condemned for generations. Have you no shame?"

Deling looked over at Edea with surprise written on his face. He walked over to interrupt her when Rinoa caught him by the arm.

"Let go of me." Deling hissed to Rinoa as Edea continued her speech.

"I'm sorry." Rinoa whispered. Her eyes flared yellow and the old man stepped back in fear. His mouth wide open as he almost tripped against the elevation behind him. Rinoa smiled, her canary eyes glowing like two streetlights. She reached over and touched Deling on his forehead with the tip of her index finger.

_' You__ are my puppet now._'

Deling's eyes blacked out. He stood where Rinoa left him, in a trance. He swayed slightly with an inane smile on his face. Rinoa returned to her place beside Edea as she finished her speech.

"Let us start a new reign of terror. I will let you live a fantasy beyond your imagination." Edea stepped from the platform in a dramatic gesture and turned back to the presidential mansion with Rinoa following closely and Deling swaggering far behind.

Irvine reached over and tugged at Squall's arm. "Snap out of it Squall, it's time for us to get ready to go. The Gates are opening."

**ooooo**

The breathtaking float looked almost like a futuristic spaceship with its coils of opalescent artwork. The kaleidoscopic sky, filled with all the colors of the Deling lights glowed in all its dazzling glory. On the throne, wearing Edea's clothing, Rinoa sat like a demonic swan. Her purple lips stretched into a faint smile as she eyed her minions. Standing in front was her knight Seifer who waved his flashing gunblade in a cocky heroic gesture. So, he finally had the fame and prestige he wanted, Rinoa thought to herself. To his right was the president Deling, still in a trance as he grinned into the crowd.

Rinoa cast her eyes about the congregation glad that Squall was no where to be seen. Yet she did realize that even if he were to see her this way he would not recognize her. Her head felt heavy wearing Edea's crown and a vine like design wrapped its self about her cheeks. Her face was pale as that of the nocturnal vampire. The tight raven dress wrapped every curve of her body so tightly that she could hardly move. Yet she felt elation in her heart as she watched the cheering horde of people. For a moment she felt like calling out to Seifer and asking him if he was enjoying himself but she caught herself as she realized that it was a very un-sorceress like thing to do.

Looking upon Seifer's bemused face she felt her guilt lessen. Perhaps this adoration partially made up for what she done to his SeeD career. Maybe in the end it truly was better for him this way, following her orders instead of some inhumane academy. Although she did not love him, she knew that she would take care of him always and make sure no harm came to his chaste heart. She did not want him to know the cynicism that she knew so well, the cynicism that she saw reflected in the eyes of Squall Leonhart.

Look at them, Rinoa, a congregation of fools a voice in her head commented. Rinoa's head perked up. Who said that?

"You do not recognize the voice of your mistress?" The voice inquired.

Edea? Rinoa wondered.

"Ultimecia. The voice confessed. Edea is the name of the weak body I inhabit."

Rinoa nodded in quiet assent. It was better now that she understood. Ultimecia was a sorceress, the sorceress inside Edea. But the sorceress was inside her now, so she was no longer in Edea. The vision before her eyes had blurry edges. Seifer became a cloud of white against the prismatic colors of the Deling night. Rinoa felt her head waving slightly or maybe the ground was waving and her head was still. In the crowd she saw her father. He was waving his hand at her.

"Daddy?" she whispered out loud. "Daddy come back!" she snapped suddenly as she watched his figure evaporate into the winter air. She tried to focus her eyes but she saw nothing but hazy blurs, smudges of color, flashes of objects. She caught a face suddenly. Daddy? she reached out to grab his hand.

"Rinoa?" Seifer asked, his voice twisted before it reached her ears. Seifer knitted his brows as he watched the moronic smile on Rinoa's face. Her hand reached out ant held his in a death clamp. She appeared to be in a drunken state. He shook her gently. "Rinoa are you okay?"

"Don't leave me daddy." she said to him. Seifer frowned as she pressed her face against his hand. "Please don't go." she said with urgency in her voice.

Seifer leaned forward and kissed her gently, "I won't leave. You're sick, I don't know what got into you but I'm taking you home." Seifer reached over to draw her into his arms when she suddenly snapped again. She sat up straight, all traces of the drunkenness gone.

"Seifer." She ordered. "Leave me."

"Rinoa?"

"Go!" She snapped.

Seifer frowned. "If that's how you want it -"

Ultimecia felt Rinoa withdraw into a tiny core within herself as she took over the girl's troubled body. Rinoa was muttering incomprehensibly about her father, about a boy and finally about a town called Winhill. Around them the dancing continued in a twisted celebration of demonic sacrifice. The crowd continued to cheer. The congregation was like one huge monster, laughing in sadistic delight. Pieces of colorful paper fluttered through the air miles up above parade reaching for the very heavens.

'_Fithos__ Lusec Wecos Vinosec_'

"Tell me about Winhill." Ultimecia implored, purring like a cat. Rinoa opened up to her then, holding nothing back in the dam of her own isolation. Her head began to clear slightly and so she began to speak silently in her own mind to the sorceress within her.

It is my destiny to fight an evil sorceress, Rinoa explained, she is the one who gave me my powers. I don't know who she is or at what point in the future this fight will take place. All I know is that I am to do it beside a boy with the name Loire.

"Loire?" Ultimecia asked begging her to continue.

_'Excitate vos e somno, liberi mei Cunae sunt non'_

Yes, Rinoa continued. My father told me it was so, that fifteen years ago my future self visited my past. Defeating the sorceress is my destiny beside this Loire boy, it is a destiny I do not want. Ultimecia, how can this be prevented?

"What destiny is it that you want child?" Ultimecia asked then.

'_Excitate__ vos e somno, liberi fatali_'

One beside another. Rinoa replied.

"Who?"

Squall Leonhart. She answered.

**ooooo**

The carousel burst into life as it elevated and opened up its top revealing two members of SeeD. From across the plaza, the gates of the archway shook precariously and fell, sinking their jaws into the ground, trapping the sorceress's float underneath the golden arch.

Irvine Kinneas aimed his sniper gun at the figure on the throne who had stood up frowning at the mysterious interruption. He aimed the gun at her, watching her at the center of the cross hairs of his lens. He had the power over life and death now. One twitch of his finger and he was to send a life out of existence. The cross hairs of his lens were transformed from a simple glass and paint to a pen with which he could rewrite destiny. No one should have such a magnificent and terrible power. Watching the woman in the center of the lens, she suddenly turned her head to face him. Her eyes met his. He could not kill her.

"I can't do it." Irvine whispered as he lowered the gun.

"What?" Squall asked in surprise.

"I always choke up like this..."Irvine said. "I'll change the history of Galbadia forever... I... can't."

"Irvine Kinneas!" Squall snapped but soon realized that it was no use. In exasperation he finally gave up. "Just fire the gun as a signal to attack, will you do that?"

"Just as a signal," Irvine whispered to himself as he aimed the gun once more. He pulled the trigger absently and the bullet shot across the plaza heading for the sorceress. Rinoa raised her hand and deflected the bullet, then guided it straight into President Deling's skull. With one last desperate shriek, Deling collapsed onto his knees, blood pouring forth from a crack in his head. He was dead in a matter of seconds.

Rinoa watched as Seifer stood up from where he was kneeling. A smile grew slowly on his face. She twirled her head around as she heard a screech of tires and a crash when a convertible slammed into the archway gates.

Squall appeared before them, gunblade in hand. Squall's eyes widened as he took a closer look at the sorceress. Rinoa.

"So this is the way it must be." she whispered to no one in particular. She smiled at him suddenly, a whimsical expression born from the shards of broken dreams. "Now you know why, I couldn't tell you my name."

"You're nothing but another obedient lap dog, Rinoa" Squall said venomously.

She nodded and looked down. "You're right, Squall. I guess I am."

"Shut up," Seifer said with a look of disgust on his face. "You're mine, Squall."

Squall drew back as Seifer attacked him. However this time Seifer did not have rage giving him an edge. He made a series of clumsy mistakes and before long Seifer was on his back with Squall's gunblade at his throat.

"You need practice Seifer," Squall said and with that he drew his gunblade away and turned his eyes to Rinoa.

Rinoa had been but a casual watcher since then. "Will you fight me, Squall?" she asked quietly.

Squall watched her placid face and hesitated. His obligation to SeeD called for him to attack her without mercy yet somehow underneath the snowfield of his memory, a deeper obligation called out to him. As he tried to draw his gunblade against her, a recollection suddenly surfaced, like treasure washed up onto shore for the first time in a thousand years. But like anything that collects on the shore, the ocean reclaimed it as quickly as it had come.

He saw a flash of Rinoa dressed in blue, disappearing into the mist over Winhill.

At that moment he knew he would not lift a finger against her. However, he didn't have to because it was already too late.

"Impudent SeeD." a voice said behind him. As Squall turned it was far too late. Edea stood there and cast a round of Ultima on him. He fell into the green explosion and when it cleared he caught only one last glimpse of Rinoa bending over him with a look of pain on her face before he blacked out.

Rinoa looked up and saw Seifer getting to his feet, ready to defend Edea as the other SeeDs showed up suddenly. The Galbadian soldiers had arrived and had joined into the fight. Quietly, trying to attract as little attention a s possible, Rinoa wrapped her arms about Squall's limp body and dragged him away from all the commotion.


	8. chapter7

Chapter 7 - Rose of the Desert

Squall could hear his mother crying in the distance. She was so close yet he could not find her. The mist, the awful mist, was so thick he could hardly see his hand in front of his face. He felt tears welling up in his eyes as he called out her name once, twice. There was no answer. He tripped over a crevasse in the grassy plain of the Winhill bluff. He clenched his tiny fist and resolved not to cry. Where was she? He was so tiny and so helpless here alone, standing next to his father's tombstone. She had told him to wait here until she came back but he was afraid for her. He had never heard her cry like that before.

He was about to run in the direction of her voice when suddenly the mist lifted and a figure appeared before him. Looking up he was disappointed that it was not his mother. He wanted so badly to go home. It was a lady with dark hair, dressed in blue. She bent down beside him. He saw tears flowing down her cheeks in tiny tributaries. She ran the back of her hand over her eyes to dry her watery sorrow. She reached over and placed her teary hand on his shoulder.

"Squall," she began, forcing a smile onto her pale lips. "You must remember what I am about to tell you. No matter what happens never forget what I say to you now."

He felt sorry for her. She was so sad but at the same time she frightened him. In a gesture of confusion, he nodded.

"Squall, never doubt my love for you. No matter what happens in the future, what others may lead you to believe or even what I lead you to imagine, never give in to misgiving." She reached over with her other hand and held him tight. "Promise me, Squall. Hurry, I don't have much more time."

Squall nodded at her. He was only two, it was hard to understand what exactly she meant but she appeared satisfied with his response. She was beautiful suddenly as she graced him with another bittersweet smile. Finally she reached over and smoothed his fuzzy brown hair away from his face.

"Don't ever forget what I show you now or it will end the same horrible way for you too."

She turned and walked into the mist.

The mist over Winhill.

**ooooo**

dreamworld end

* * *

Water, it was lukewarm and stale but it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted as it poured into his cracked lips. He drank swiftly but then in a sudden flicker of his arm, he reached out and caught the hand that was holding it. A soft whimper came as he squeezed the silky wrist in his iron grip. Rinoa. Only then did he slowly open his eyes. He squinted in the dim glare of the single fading light bulb of his cell.

"Ouch, Squall," she complained as she clasped his hand with her other one. "Are you okay?"

He ignored her question as he brought himself up into a sitting position. He felt a dull pain in his chest and remembered the witch's attack. The pain became sharper as he tried to move but he decided to sit still and bear it down.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her.

"Would you believe that I wanted to apologize for lying to you?" She asked.

He shrugged, slightly, trying to move as little as possible. He remembered the dream of Winhill where he had seen her appear from the mist to make him agree that to that ludicrous promise. Yet it was also the faint memory of that promise that had stopped him from attacking her. Would he always be cursed to have his memory come in disjointed snippets, too short in length to be of any consequence, too charged with emotion to be forgotten, too vague in content to be useful.

"Where am I?" He asked as he glanced around the room. It was some sort of a prison cell.

"The D district prison. It's in the center of a desert, made for the imprisonment of Deling's political enemies. Your friends are here too, for the assassination of the president. You were unconscious for a long time. I was checking on you regularly to make sure . . . ."Rinoa trailed off slowly.

Squall rubbed his temples as though he was suffering from a migraine.

The door to the cell opened suddenly and Seifer walked in. He frowned when he caught sight of Rinoa sitting on the bed beside Squall.

"What's this Rinoa? Asking sexual favors of the prisoners again?" he asked.

Rinoa glared at him. "Shouldn't you be practicing with your gunblade Seifer?" she asked.

Feeling her hateful comments digging into his pride, Seifer walked over to Squall and grabbed a handful of his hair.

"How have you been old friend?" he asked in a voice dripping with spite. Squall did not answer and in frustration Seifer yanked a handful of hair from his head. Squall grimaced but made no move to defend himself. Seifer walked to his other side, scattering the short strands on the damp floor of the desert cell.

"You unimaginable bastard," Rinoa whispered under her breath. She placed her hand on Squall's shoulder in a protective gesture as the Moombas scampered in and ushered him out of the cell. Glowering at Seifer one last time, Rinoa turned to followed the Moombas when Seifer grabbed her by the arm.

"You're not pretending anymore are you Rinoa? You really do love him." Seifer said with a sneer on his face.

"I'm always pretending," Rinoa replied. "I'm incapable of love, remember?" she rolled her eyes at him before she left the cell, leaving him in absolute frustration once more.

**ooooo**

_Is this really my dream?_ Seifer wondered as he watched the guards place the shackles onto the younger boy's wrists. Seifer's jaw hardened as he watched, feeling the stubborn determination well up within his chest. He had felt no pleasure ripping the hair out of his old rival's head. Planning it, he had thought that the action would have been more fulfilling.

But he just felt more empty.

This is everything you've ever wantedthe voice within said.

Was that really still his voice? Perhaps, it was Edea speaking, through his dream. He wanted to be great, to be a knight, saint, hero but now all he was, was a servant.

It was a vicious cycle of promises and hopes which will never bring him to his goal. Life it was not a line, but a circle. A slave he was to garden before, a slave to Edea now.

And so was Rinoa, Seifer realized then. She too had been lured into this trap of paper castles drifting in a far off oblivion. Neither of them could break out of this circle, break out of this pattern of cruelty.

"That cloud looks like a mask," she told him one day as they laid on the grass of the Timber meadows.

"A mask?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, and that over there, is the face of a crying lamb who has lost her mother." She told him softly as she pointed to the sky.

"What a dreary mind you have," he remarked. She smiled and rolled over hugging his side.

"What do you mean, dear?" she asked.

"We can only see, Rinoa, what is already inside our minds."

And the truth was that now as he watched Squall Leonhart being mounted on that wall, he saw only bitter spite written on the boy's hard features.

_Will you look down upon me for what I have become?_ Seifer wondered in angry humiliation. _I'll make you pay, Leonhart. I'll make you share my misery._

**ooooo**

Rinoa stood quietly in the shadows while Seifer paced back and forth like a hungry carnivore.

"What is the true purpose of SeeD?" Seifer demanded as he slashed the air in front of Squall's face. Squall had a blank look on his face, a cross between irritation and confusion. His arms were suspended by thick black chains which kept him pressed against the wall.

Seifer motioned to the guard to administer a small shock just to play with his victim a bit. He smiled then. "I've finally achieved my dream Squall. I want you here to see me in my glory. I'm the sorceress's knight."

Squall lifted his head slightly as he looked at Seifer with pity. "You're just a torturer."

Seifer growled as he pricked Squall in the neck with his gunblade. "Shut up black mercenary" He motioned for the guard to administer another shock just to quiet his opposition.

"This is the part where you confess your undying hatred for me." He ordered.

Seifer slashed his gunblade in the air wildly before he reached over with his gloved hand and took Squall by the jaw. "Give me what I want Squall or I'll make your life a living hell."

Squall's eyes burned with fury as he refused to speak which infuriated Seifer beyond comprehension. Seifer motioned for the guard to administer a series of shocks in quick succession. Rinoa watched quietly as Squall jerked forward from the pain. She reached over to the table by her side and placed her hand over an object covered by a sheet. She was pushed to the brink of her tolerance when Seifer finally motioned for the guard to stop. He reached over and slapped Squall loudly across the face to wake him up.

"Answer my question, what is the true purpose of SeeD?" Seifer asked viciously. Squall was breathing hard but he refused to answer. Seifer smirked at him suddenly. His face bursting into an expression of sadistic joy. "You are on my list of tough nuts to crack."

"I'm honored," Squall responded in a hoarse sarcastic tone.

Seifer glared at him and slapped him once more. "Even if you won't speak your friends will." he motioned for the guard to commence with the shocks. As he stepped back Raijin ran in breathlessly.

"Seifer, Edea wants to see you. Better go ya know."

Seifer glanced over at Rinoa and scowled at her. "This is your doing isn't it?" he asked. "When I get back he won't be here anymore right?"

Rinoa smirked. "I wouldn't test Edea's good graces if I were you."

Seifer walked over to her and grabbed her by her forearm squeezing her so hard his fingers left marks on her skin. "If you do anything at all it will be treason. Help him and that will be the end of you."

Rinoa knitted her brows. "Do you take me for an idiot, Seifer?" she snapped. "I'm not a loved obsessed twit. I'm sorceress. Don't ever talk to me without that in mind!"

Seifer nodded. "Alright, Rinoa. Just remember Edea's good graces only go so far."

Rinoa frowned deeply and chewed on her lower lip.

"Watch him," Seifer ordered Raijin as he left. Raijin turned to Rinoa with a confused look in his eye. "You won't try anything will ya?" he asked with a tad of fear in his eye. He did not want trouble.

"Of course not," Rinoa answered and raised her hand casting Ultima. Raijin was thrown against the wall and he went out of consciousness without making a sound. The guard's eyes widened in fear as Rinoa's eyes flared yellow. She caught him by the skull and shoved him against the wall breaking his head open like a watermelon.

She turned the switch for the shocks off. Seifer had taken the keys with him but that didn't matter. Chains were but paper strings to a sorceress with her power. Rinoa walked over to the thick coils of rusty chains and placed her hands firmly on them. With a sudden forceful yank she ripped the chains apart. Her face formed a grimace as she did the same to the other pair. Her palms were burning as she caught Squall when he fell from his standing position. She laid him down on the ground. His skin was cool and moist as though he had just come in from a spring shower. He was breathing deeply, coming into consciousness again. Rinoa picked up his hand absently checking for burns but unintentionally she also felt his weak rapid pulse.

"It's okay," she whispered gently into his ear, remembering what little advice her father had given her in the event someone she knew was struck by lightening. Speak to the victim calmly, loosen any tight clothing, keep victim lying down, call for medical attention. It made her want to chuckle at how useless it all was. She heard his breath quicken as though he was on the verge of awaking. In a act of nervousness, she reached up and drew a few tendrils of hair away from his face but did not move him from his position in the nook of her arm.

"He's gone, take your time. I'm here. I'll protect you." Rinoa muttered continuing her efforts, wondering if he even heard her. She stroked his darkened cheek with her index finger but drew it back suddenly in embarrassment. He wouldn't want her to be touching his face like that.

_But_ _he was so beautiful._

He was coming back, slowly, gradually. She sat there on the filthy rat infested floor of the prison holding him in her lap. Soft and warm, courageous and vulnerable, safe but deadly, he laid in her arms, asleep not from weariness but from pain.

"Wake up, Squall, please," she implored into his ear as she tentatively ran the tip of her fingers over his silky lips, enamored so completely that she forgot all courtesy.

_I've spent my entire life waiting for something .. and now I think I see what it was._

Suddenly he jarred her out of her lustful thoughts as his eyes fluttered open. She drew her fingers back in alarm and blushed deeply.

"Are you okay?" She asked rapidly, concealing her embarrassment. "Are you hurt?"

"That was hell," he whispered hoarsely as he sat up and pushed her aside. So much for her whimsical girlish dreams. He got to his knees and began pulling himself back into an unsteady standing position. She reached out and took his arm, trying her best to help him but was promptly swatted away.

"Are you sure you can stand, Squall?" She asked with concern coloring her voice."Maybe you should sit beside me here for a little . .while." Or perhaps forever.

"I'm fine," he growled in embarrassment as much as irritation. It was just his luck to appear so vulnerable in front of her, the sorceress.

"Sheesh, fine have it your way." She said mockingly as she playfully batted his fur collar. "Don't blame me when you fall on your face and crush that fine elegant nose of yours."

She grew serious once more as she watched him weakly lean against the wall as the dull but throbbing pain slowly retreated from his tortured body. She wanted suddenly to hold him in her arms but instead she nodded knowingly at him.

"Wait here," she whispered and turned away. She walked over to the table at which she was standing beside earlier. She pulled aside the sheets she had piled on top and drew out his gunblade. He was leaning feebly against the wall as she handed him his weapon.

"My co conspirators Zone and Watts have set your friends free already. They should be here shortly. Cid is on the fifth floor, the second cell to the right. You need to get him yourself." Rinoa took a few steps closer and eyed him curiously. "Are you sure you are okay?"

"Why are you doing this Rinoa?" He asked her softly, in a honest tone devoid of malice for once. He hesitated before asking the next question but finally he did as hard as it was to do so. "Will you be alright when they find out?"

Rinoa shrugged. "I'm the evil sorceress remember? Just another lap dog. Don't worry about what happens to me. I'm sure whatever it is, it can't be worse than what I deserve."

In a moment of affection Squall reached over and grabbed her arm once more. She looked up at his eyes with his face only inches away from hers. If it had not been iron hearted Squall standing there she would have expected a kiss. He whispered a few words rapidly and softly so that they may enter her ears alone and not that of the meddlesome gossiping mechanical ears of the mounted cameras.

"We'll meet again." His eyes followed her for a moment longer before he tightened his grip on his gunblade, turned around and left.

Rinoa was left standing there staring after him.

_Perhaps it would be better for you if we didn't._

**ooooo**

"Squall!" Selphie exclaimed as she caught sight of him. "You're okay! whoopee!" Selphie ran over and hugged him while Xu shrugged and Zell scratched his head.

"Yo, you had us scared, one of the guards said you were being tortured." Zell commented.

' "You are okay aren't you?" Xu asked hastily.

Squall nodded. "The headmaster is on the fifth floor."

"We know," Xu replied immediately. "We just came from there. He's not there but I have a feeling he's okay."

"Why?" Squall asked.

"We found this," Selphie said as she waved the cowboy hat she was wearing on her head. "Looks like he was in a hurry to leave," Zell said. "I knew that coward couldn't be trusted."

"You're just saying that because he called you a chicken wuss," Xu offered helpfully.

"Shut up!" Zell exclaimed. "Stop calling me that."

Selphie chuckled and jumped up and down. "Chicken, bak bak bak." She began to curl her arms up at her side and bob her head like a chicken.

"Stop it!" Zell yelled and began to chase after Selphie.

Squall caught him and shoved him back.

"Stop this immaturity now," Squall ordered. They listened for some reason.

After a few moments of silence Selphie spoke again but far more remorsefully this time.

"I can't believe he left without us," Selphie said.

Xu spoke up in opposition, "the headmaster is far more important than the rest of us, I think I see why Garden choose to send Irvine to rescue him alone."

Squall frowned wondering what was the root of Xu's intense devotion to Cid but it was none of his business really. He pointed at the way from which he came. "Come on, this is the way out."

Selphie shrugged and followed the rest of them. With one hand she pressed the hat tighter against her head. _Irvine_The name was like a fairy that dwelled in the shady forests of lore. So he had broke down in Deling, so he had left the prison without them, so he was being his usual self. Even Selphie, glowing glorious giddy Selphie, was beginning to feel reality nip at her tiny dainty toes. But for her reality never took large bites and before long, she was happily prancing after the gang once more.

She hummed under her breath, his song, the lullaby.

_Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me_.

After taking out a few Galbadian soldiers, the small party saw daylight once more as they climbed through the opening on the tenth floor. However, they were stopped dead in their tracks as they realized there was someone in the control room. Rinoa was standing there, leaning over the control panel.

"What are you talking about?" She yelled into the speaker. "I had nothing to do with the prisoner's escape. How dare you accuse me of such an insult. I'll gorge your eyes out General Wedge. My father was ten times the man you are!"

In a calm voice to the point of sadism, the man responded. "The prison will self destruct in ten minutes. The sorceress Edea has ordered it. There is no use pleading with me. You have betrayed your superiors for the last time."

There was a click as the line went dead. Rinoa banged on the panel with her fist.

"Don't move." Someone behind her ordered. Rinoa spun around and came face to face with two GIM52As as well as two elite soldiers. Before she could react, the elite soldier shot her and it slammed into her arm. She felt over bleeding into a small puddle. She grimaced, holding the wound with her right hand. She glared at the soldier as he aimed his gun for her head.

Yet suddenly a shadow darkened her crippled form as Squall stepped in front of her. His friends backed him up as well in the fight as they decided to help the wounded girl. The fight was over soon and Squall turned to see Selphie bending down beside Rinoa to heal her arm. Rinoa looked on as Selphie cast curaga on the bullet wound. Squall wondered why she wasn't using her magic but the answer soon came to him. She did not want his friends to know that she was a sorceress.

"We need to get out," she said getting to her feet. "This place is about self destruct." She reached over and grabbed Squall's arm. Pointing at the bridge before them, she nodded. "This way, I know the fastest way out."


	9. chapter8

Chapter 8 - Garden's Folly

On the outskirts of the Desert Prison, Xu turned her face towards the sky and saw the white tails of a dozen missiles streaking across the blue dawn.

"Galbadia has ordered an attack on Garden," she informed the rest of the group with her voice trembling. "We need to get back and warn them, now!"

"How are we going to do that?" Zell asked. "We are in the middle of a desert with nothing except junk and sand."

"Wait," Rinoa said. "I think I know a railroad station nearby. It's Galbadian but I think we can sneak on." There was a moment of silence as the group watched her. Rinoa shrugged and clasped her left elbow with her right hand.

"Who are you anyway?" Xu asked with a touch of suspicion in her voice.

"My name is Circe, Rinoa Circe," she said. "I'm part of a resistance group called the Timber Owls. I was here as a spy but I guess I was found out." Rinoa glanced at Squall but he had looked away pretending not to hear her lies.

Xu nodded. "I'm sorry, Garden is very particular about whom they allow into their midst. I guess if you are part of a resistance group it's alright. I'm sorry this might be my imagination but have you two met before?" Xu glanced from Squall to Rinoa.

"No," Rinoa said immediately. "Never."

Xu looked slightly embarrassed. "All right, let's hurry and get to Garden before the missiles do."

A few moments later the party high jacked Galbaldian freight train from the station. Zell stood at the window as he saw a couple of Galbadian soldiers chasing after the train.

"It's no use, give up!" Zell yelled.

"That's our train."

"You sure are dense," Zell remarked.

Rinoa walked up to his side and threw a copy of Occult fan into the wind. It hit the soldier smack in the face. He tripped and rolled off the side of the road.

Rinoa clapped her hands together. "Those are useless anyway," she commented.

Zell laughed. "Hey you're pretty cool."

Rinoa gave him a shy smile.

"I don't think your friends like me," she remarked sadly.

Zell shook his head passionately. "Xu is a bit obsessed with Cid and Garden, she doesn't like anyone much. Selphie likes everybody. She'll love you as soon as things get back to normal. Squall, well Squall is Squall. Don't worry too much about him, he's cold to everyone."

"Anything else I should know?"

"Garden serves great hot dogs." Zell said rubbing his hands together. "Once you taste them you'll never want to leave."

**ooooo**

When the party of SeeDs arrived at Balamb the Garden was in disarray. Chaos was running rampant. Students were running to a fro aimlessly guided by the Garden Masters who were even more hostile than usual. At first sight, Xu gasped in horror and left the party, heading straight for the headmaster's office. Zell and Selphie were looking about in confusion. Rinoa looked to Squall.

"So this is how you run things at Garden?" she asked. "I've seen war zones that were more organized."

He drew out his gunblade and ignored her sarcastic comments. "Stay close to me," he ordered and walked up to the Garden master.

Selphie looked at Rinoa in surprise. "Stay close to me! That doesn't sound like Squall at all." She giggled. "What's gotten into you, Squall? And a girl you don't even know too .. "

"Are you with the Headmaster?" The Garden Master ordered as he stood firmly before Squall.

"I don't understand," Squall repeated. "What's going on?"

The Garden Master took a step forward and shoved Squall roughly. "If you are not with us then you are against us. Attack!" he ordered his minions.

Rinoa took a step back as she watched Zell and Selphie rush into battle beside Squall. She smiled as she observed them battle.

**ooooo**

A few battles later they met Xu on the second floor.

"The headmaster is not here!" Xu exclaimed in surprise.

"Calm down," Selphie said. "Maybe he and Irvine aren't here yet. We took the train thanks to Rinoa that's why we got here first."

"But the missiles!" Zell said. "What are we going to do? By the time Cid gets here Garden will be in smithereens."

Squall shook his head and looked away, a trouble expression on his face. The group was looking to him to think up something. Xu was on the verge of hysterics, unable to maintain her role as a leader.

_What do they expect from me?_ Squall wondered. _Am I to wave my hand and make things right?_ _Why can't they think for themselves?_

It was then that the one which they all had ignored up to the moment stepped forward.

"I have a plan," Rinoa said.

They looked to her in surprise. "What!" Zell asked.

"Huh?" Selphie asked in shock as well. Xu looked away in disbelief.

Rinoa ignored them. She turned her eyes to Squall, speaking to him alone. "I know about the Centra. From their civilization came the technology of the Gardens. The Gardens were once used as movable shelters for the Centra after their civilization was destroyed by the Lunar Cry. If my speculations are correct, on the MD level of the Garden there should be a way to make the Garden mobile again."

"How do you know so much about the Centra?" Xu asked suspiciously. "Is that required knowledge for resistance groups?"

_No but it is for a sorceress._ Rinoa thought.

Before Xu can see Rinoa's eyes flare yellow in anger, Squall stepped in front of her.

"Let's not argue over trivial matters. Me and Rinoa will go to the MD level. Zell, Selphie, evacuate the Garden. Xu, wait for Cid to return and make sure the Garden Masters don't get their hands on him."

"You and Rinoa!" Xu asked. "I have objections with placing an outsider on this mission. Are we going to trust the fate of Garden to a girl we don't even know?"

"Do you have a better suggestion?" Squall asked.

Rinoa stepped forward nudging Squall aside to inform him that she could fight her own battles. She looked Xu directly in the eye, spell bounding her.

_I am the right choice_.

"She is the right choice," Xu repeated. She smiled then, in a idiotic way as those under the sorceress's influence are prone to. "Good luck Squall," Xu said before she turned and stumbled away.

Zell and Selphie were left in shock. Squall shook his head in disgust. Reaching out with one hand he pulled Rinoa away with him.

**ooooo**

"How could you do that?" Squall demanded as soon as they were in the elevator. Rinoa ignored him, she began to fiddle with the buttons. She placed her finger where the key was supposed to go, sending a slight shock into the lock, it turned and clicked. Perfect.

"I'm sorry Squall, if you consider her petty distrust more important than the lives of your classmates. That was the first good deed I did this year and here you are scolding me. Maybe, it would be easier if I went back to being evil."

"You are the most frustrating girl I've ever met," Squall commented.

She punched him playfully. "You don't deserve any better."

He grew serious. "Promise me you will never do that again."

"To any more of your friends," she said, standing her ground. The elevator jarred to a stop suddenly and refused to start moving again.

She tossed the back of her dress aside and knelt down to the access panel. "Come on, looks like the elevator isn't going to take us much further."

The heels of her boots clicked on the metal rungs of the ancient site as they descended deeper into the heart of Garden. She felt a slight tug on the back of her dress as Squall swatted the blue material out of his face. She felt like laughing again suddenly. She had felt this way before as she ran beside Seifer through the streets of Timber away from the cross farmers that condemned them for trespassing through the apple orchards. Timber always had the most beautiful orchards, especially underneath the midnight moon. They had giggled and squealed as the owner ran in hot pursuit. Sometimes, Seifer would duck into an alley and yank her in with him. There he would kiss her and whisper gently of the wonderful days to come. However, even then she knew, those days would never be.

Rinoa was broken from her daydream when far above her the elevator began to tremble. So it had decided to come down after all. She looked up with fear in her eyes and began to scramble down. Squall took a precarious jump but somehow managed to land on his feet on the inch of space not cluttered by broken machinery.

"Jump," he ordered her as the elevator shook with wrath.

"No!" she said as she looked down. Beside him laid the torn shrapnel of the ancient machinery, abandoned, broken, deadly. She had no intention of getting impaled. She hurried down but in her rush a boot slipped on the slime of the ancient rung. A scream erupted from her lips as she fell. She flung her right arm wildly in effort to grab the rung but failed. The air rushed past her face as she came careening towards the unforgiving earth but no impact came to meet her. She fell into something soft and firm. It took her a moment to realize that Squall had caught her. By the time the recognition came about the elevator had crashed to the ground behind them and Squall was standing at the entrance of the tunnel to their destination.

He let her down slowly, embarrassed by the excessive relief written on her face. She untangled her arms from his neck.

"I guess the big bad sorceress needs some help sometimes," she said shamefully.

"Come on, we don't have much time," he said as he continued to walk down the tunnel. Although his words were harsh, his voice betrayed a tenderness she had not heard before and she knew that he did care.

**ooooo**

Zell scratched his head nervously. There she was, her index finger twirling a pigtail as she stood talking to a SeeD member. Oh she was so lovely what would she want to do with the likes of him?

"Whatcha staring at Zell?" Selphie asked as she broke him from his reverie. She was breathing hard from running throughout the Garden informing people of the coming crisis.

"Umm nothing," he replied.

"Hey why don't you go tell that girl with the pigtails over there that we need to get out? I'll go tell those guys over there. Come on Zell, we have no time to stand around."

Zell gulped and looked over at her. He had never been so afraid in his life, not even in The Tempest. Boldly he walked over.

"Umm . .excuse me," he said. For that moment he saw perfection in her and she saw it in him.

"Err . .. need . .. out .. . . .get." Zell said.

She smiled and heard poetry.

Such was delusion.

Such was naivete.

Such was love

**ooooo**

Rinoa pointed across the bridge.

"I have a feeling it's over there," she said.

Squall lifted his chin and glanced at the bridge suspiciously. He nudged her behind him and began to walk across the bridge. Rinoa frowned once more, unable to understand why he insisted on protecting her.

"I hear something, do you?" Rinoa asked. "It sounds like bubbles."

Squall looked down and before his eyes the oily waters parted and two Oilboyles emerged. They splattered the oily fluid onto the bridge as they parted their muck covered fins preparing to attack. Rinoa raised her Cardinal and shot it in a flaming streak straight into the Oilboyles' head. It made a sickening smack and her weapon remained impaled inside the monster. Moaning in pain, the monster vomited a storm of oil onto her. Squall tried to stab the other one with his blade and a fountain of oil shot from the wound and covered him in black muck as well.

Rinoa shook herself in disgust. Her eyes blazed gold and she raised her arm.

"Get out of the way, Squall," she ordered. Knowing what was good for him, Squall retreated from the Oilboyles. From her fingers came an explosion of fire. It consumed the Oilboyle whole and Squall shielded his eyes from the glare. Staring at her conflagration, Rinoa's eyes faded back to brown as the fire slowly died. There was nothing left but ashes.

She walked over and picked up her ruined Cardinal.

"Bastards," she cursed. "This was a gift from my father."

Squall made a quick mental note never to touch gifts from her father.

"Let's hurry," he said.

**ooooo**

Selphie squinted at the horizon. There were two people coming. Was it too much to hope for that she thought she saw Irvine? In back she motioned for two members to escape. She turned her eyes to the two figures once more. A smile suddenly bursted onto her lips as she saw one of them waving to her.

"Irvine!" She yelled and started running. He met her halfway and they stopped a few feet from each other.

"Hey Selph," he said. "Nice to see ya."

She nodded, keeping her distance. "I have your hat."

Irvine smiled. "I left it for you."

"Here," she said, handing it back to him. "I kept it on my head so it wouldn't get dirty or crushed."

"Naw, why don't you wear it? It looks pretty cute on ya." Irvine said.

Selphie pouted at him then she twirled around in a happy circle but was broken from her coy games when Cid finally caught up with Irvine.

"Is everything alright, Selphie?" he asked.

Selphie turned serious. "No there are missiles headed this way! Squall is trying to make the Garden mobile in the MD level but so far there's been no sign of him."

"Squall went down to the MD level alone?" Cid asked with a worried expression on his face. He did not wait for Selphie's response as he quickly began running towards Garden.

"No he went with a girl," Selphie said but trailed off as she realized that Cid was out of range.

Irvine whistled. "That dog!" he said laughing. Selphie slapped him on his arm.

"Come on we need to follow Cid. He doesn't know about the Garden Masters."

Irvine and Selphie caught up to Cid in his office. He was standing before his desk searching for the key to the MD level when suddenly the floor underneath them opened. Light poured from every crevasse and crack as the a platform rose high above the headmaster's office to the very top of the Garden structure. Cid looked about him in shook as he had fallen onto his knees in amazement. At that moment, the missiles came to meet their target but the Garden threw soil into the air for miles around in a massive tornado as it began to glide away from its niche in the meadow.

The missiles came to meet with nothingness.

When the smoke cleared, Cid stood up and his mouth opened in surprise as he saw Rinoa Heartilly getting to her feet beside Squall.

"What is this?" Cid demanded. Rinoa looked at him with an expression of apprehension. Squall stepped before her in a gesture of defense the same way she had placed her hand upon him before in the desert prison.

"I brought her here," he told the headmaster. "She's responsible for the fact that Garden's still here right now."

Cid stood there with his mouth agape, trying to recover. He was completely pale at first, then his face twisted in a look of rage, he took a few deep breathes.

"You can't be serious, Squall." the headmaster said. "This is insane. You know they call her the Angel of Death for a reason. How do you know she's not a spy?"

Squall grabbed Rinoa's arm tightly, motioning for her to stay silent.

"I know. I don't doubt her." Squall said quietly, the promise he had made that day in Winhill replaying in his mind. "I'll take complete responsibility for everything she does."

Cid sighed looking defeated. "Squall, Squall, I told you once before that I wanted you to lead this mission against the sorceress. How can I ask that of you now that you have brought this girl here?"

Squall frowned. "I never asked to be the one to lead this mission."

"No Squall," Cid said under his breath. "If you are not the one to lead this mission there will be no chance of victory for us. There are things about your past that you don't know. Only you can lead this mission."

"Don't talk about this as though I was born for it," Squall said with malice in his voice.

Cid shook his head in a weary fashion. "Alright Squall, keep her here. Think about your decision. I won't interfere in your business for the time being. She .. is your responsibility, remember that."


	10. chapter9

Chapter 9 - My Lullaby

Irvine walked into the second floor deck when he opened his mouth wide in surprise. He was about to yell when Squall reached over and covered his mouth with one gloved hand.

"Don't make a sound," Squall ordered as he released him. Irvine stared with his mouth half open. There, leaning against the balcony was Rinoa Heartilly.

"Oh for Hyne's sake Squall, you brought the evil sorceress home?" Irvine asked in shock. "Just you wait, you'll wake up tomorrow morning and half of Garden will be dead!"

"Don't tell anyone who she is," Squall growled under his breath.

"But why?" Irvine asked staring at Rinoa. "You went a bit out of it when you saw her at the parade but this? You are even more love sick than me and I'm the end all of love sickness."

"Just tell me, will you do this for me or not?" Squall asked abruptly.

"No! She's evil. Are you insane?"

Rinoa turned from her place at the rail. She smiled at him as she walked over. The wind blew her hair away from her face as her eyes shimmered in the mid-evening sun. She was so lovely it nearly made the flowers hide their faces in shame. As she approached him, Irvine bowed as he would greet any girl, sorceress or no.

"Irvine," she said, "if you won't do it for Squall, will you do it for me?"

Irvine was silent. How could he say no to such a girl? He glanced at Squall and saw him frowning once more. Rinoa reached over with one hand and touched him gently on his leather clad arm before moving her eyes back to Irvine.

She looked at him curiously and she pressed her lips together in a disapproving look. It made Irvine want to laugh. Surely she was not as evil as they said she was.

"Alright, for you Rinoa, not for Squall. Can I at least have a kiss?" He asked.

She smiled mischievously. "That would depend on what my fiancee says." she said glancing at Squall.

"What!" Irvine exclaimed. "You're kidding aren't you?"

"No I'm serious," Rinoa said nodding earnestly.

"Hey, Squall, this is really going to wreck your SeeD career." Irvine said remorsefully.

Squall looked away in contempt.

"She's seriously kidding, Irvine."

"Oh," Irvine said rubbing his chin. "I didn't realize that sorceresses were capable of that."

**ooooo**

Squall, Irvine and Rinoa stepped off the elevator when a Garden Master suddenly approached him.

"Are you Squall Leonhart?" he asked. Squall nodded suspiciously.

"The Garden Master Norg would like to see you. Please report to the basement immediately."

Squall glanced at Rinoa and Irvine but before he could say a word Rinoa spoke up.

"We're coming with you."

Squall decided not to argue with her.

Irvine scratched his head. "Hey, I get no say in-" Rinoa jabbed him in the ribs before he could finish. "Ouch," he muttered as they filed back into the elevator.

As soon as they stepped out of the elevator Squall caught the sight of the headmaster being thrown on the ground. Cid stood up, yelled a few insults at Norg and turned to leave when he caught sight of Squall.

"What's going on?" Squall asked.

Cid shook his head with a look of pain on his face. "You'd better go." he was about to speak up again but he caught the sight of Rinoa standing beside Squall which shut him up fast. Cid turned and left.

A Garden master came up to Squall and his party. "Master Norg is ready to see you now."

As the group stepped in front of the pod they were greeted with a large obese Shumi villager.

"Well Master Norg wishes to see you he will see you immediately. You will not be a second late!" he yelled. Rinoa frowned insulted, she was about to step forward to counter when Squall grabbed her arm motioning for silence again.

"So you are the SeeDs that attempted the assassination," the Norg said gruffly, making bubbly sounds with the deep crevasses of his chest that were gruesome to the ear whereas his appearance was horrific to the eye.

"This is my Garden!" The Norg stated. "I am the proprietor of this academy. Cid and Edea that pathetic married couple will try to take it from me, well so let them try! Their orphanage of scum will litter the world with trash. So Galbadia has turned against Garden for assassinating Deling, well I will serve your heads on a gold platter to Galbadia to calm their wrath. After that I will deal with the Sorceress Edea and the Sorceress Quistis."

"What?" Squall asked as he suddenly felt his anger and shock overflow._ "_What did you say about Quistis?"

"Yes," the Norg said. "Your god forsaken childhood acquaintance, the Sorceress Quistis. Too bad she won't be here to witness your death."

The Norg raised his flabby horrific arm and cast poison onto the group. The orbs of his pod flashed red as a tornado surrounded Squall, Irvine and Rinoa. Squall saw the white wind swirl around them trapping them in its eye as thunder erupted from above. He glanced to his right watching the wind sweep Rinoa from his side. She glanced at him once, there was no fear in her face as she raised both of her arms and cast shell on all three of them. It was then when Rinoa raised her arm and attacked the Norg with meteor. As the Norg laid back injured fatally by her spell, he spoke up.

"The sorceress Rinoa, I should have known."

"You never had a chance against me," she answered. "You will never have a chance with the sorceress Quistis. Be glad that it is I who will put an end to your life for I am sure she is far crueler than I."

The Norg made one last terrible cough with his deep grim chest and then he relaxed. A giant ball of energy surround the pod in a form of a hibernation chamber.

Rinoa turned to Squall. "Are you okay?"

He glared at her. "You lied to me about Quistis."

Rinoa frowned as she reached out to help him. He swatted her hands away.

"I know she is a Sorceress. Edea told me once that there are two great sorceresses in this time. Me and Quistis. Edea is a weak sorceress the kind that comes a gil a dozen. I forgot she told me this since it seemed irrelevant at the time. Squall, I never lied to you."

Without saying a word, Squall turned and left. Rinoa stood there silently, she wrapped her arms around herself and felt tears coming to her eyes. No she would not cry! Sorceresses don't cry. But it was too late, she choked out a sob and felt the dam open. Irvine reached over and took her by the shoulder.

"Rinoa," he began.

"Leave me alone," she said and ran from him.

Irvine stood there alone holding his Ulysses tightly in his right hand. He felt a fire burning in his chest as he realized that it was not Rinoa who had lied but himself. He knew what became of Quistis. Knew it so well that he could not sleep at night. But he didn't go after them, Rinoa or Squall. The truth will come into the open sooner or later. It always did.

**ooooo**

"You want to see him now?" Dr. Kadowaki asked as Squall walked in.

"Yes," Squall said without hesitation.

"I'm afraid he is resting. . ." Dr Kadowaki began but Cid interrupted him.

"Let him in," the headmaster ordered.

Squall walked into the back room of the Infirmary and saw Cid standing before the bed.

"I need to see Ellone," Squall said. "Where is she?"

Cid frowned. "I had them send her away. She's far safer where she is now."

Squall glared viciously at the headmaster no longer caring about the impression he left on the man.

"She is my sister. I have a right to know where she is."

"As long as you harbor Rinoa Heartilly in your company I will not tell you where Ellone is." Cid said with a calm expression on his face.

"That's ridiculous. Ellone has nothing to do with Rinoa."

"Squall," Cid said. "Do you honestly know nothing about Ellone's power? She has the power to send people to the past. Should the sorceress lay her hands on Ellone, she will have infinite and awesome power, enough perhaps to destroy the world."

Cid's words shocked Squall into silence. His dreams of his father's death, of Rinoa walking out of the mist in Winhill . . Ellone was the one sending them to him. The words she had said to him on the balcony after the dance came back to him.

_Because I did nothing that's why the things between us can never be right._

Squall raised his hand to his forehead. So this is how she choose to correct their past. She was the mysterious origin of these spontaneous dreams. Ellone. In a matter of seconds his entire world had fallen apart. Squall took a seat at the edge of the bed and tried to collect his thoughts.

"Headmaster, will you please tell me what you know of Quistis?" Squall asked in a weary but desperate tone.

The headmaster reached over and placed his hand on Squall's shoulder. "She loved you Squall. She loved you so much she gave up everything for you. That's why I choose you for this mission. I need for you to save her because I couldn't a decade ago. Rinoa Heartilly cares nothing for your welfare Squall. She has spun a web of illusions across your eyes."

Silence.

"Leave her and I will make you the leader of Garden" Cid continued. "Consider it Squall."

**ooooo**

"Irvine?" Selphie asked as she skipped into the cafeteria. "Why are you so gloomy?"

Irvine peeked out from the brim of hat as Selphie gingerly took a seat beside him. He shrugged with a forced smile on his face. Yet as his lips curled up he did feel better. The very act of smiling was mollifying.

"I'm okay Selfie," he said. "Whatcha doing?"

"Tell me what's wrong Irvy," she said reached her slender hand across the table. Her tiny figure leaned forward and never before did she look so much like a doll in his eyes.

He tipped his hat lower.

"Rinoa . . Squall . . " He muttered shaking his head slightly. "They are so messed up, both of them."

Selphie giggled as she cupped her mouth with a single hand.

"Is that all?" She leaned forward to speak in secrecy. "I think they go well together. They are both so sad and so serious."

"Just the opposite of you huh Selfie?" Irvine asked flirtatiously.

Selphie looked thoughtful.

"The truth Irvy, is that I'm always happy. Not happy with what happens here on this planet but what's in my mind. Maybe Squall and Rinoa's problems are that they live too much in this world and not enough in the sky."

Irvine smiled as he removed his hat. "No Selfie, don't try to understand Rinoa and Squall, but I don't think they are attached to this planet either. They live in a place neither you nor I can ever understand. But I want hear more about what's in your little head Selfie."

Selphie nodded as she leaned back. "I've never told anyone this before, Irvine, but I feel like I can trust you. Sometimes, Irvy when I sing your song I pretend you are walking beside me and we are talking."

"What are we talking about?" Irvine implored gently.

"About my world, my secret place which makes me so happy. People don't understand me they think I'm strange for being so optimistic when terrible things happen but the truth, Irvy is that sometimes I don't see them. Sometimes when you dream so much in the sky, your eyes get blocked by clouds."

Irvine reached over and patted her on her knee.

"I understand, completely."

"Do ya really?" Selphie asked gently.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm living in a dreamworld too Selphie. The past, I know it existed yet no one here remembers any of it. I walked around day to day seeing people, and I remember them the way . .they used to be, but they don't remember. Sometimes I wonder if I dreamed it all up in my head."

Selphie frowned, her soft lips forming a gesture which was so unnatural to the joyful little brunette.

"I don't understand, Irvine, the past, what you know of the past of the people here?"

Irvine looked away, trying to conceal his sudden pain and isolation.

"Maybe one day, Selphie, when the time is right .. .I'll tell you."

"Okay Irvine," Selphie said as she watched the table with a dreamy look in her green eyes. "Maybe one day I'll tell you my secrets too."

**ooooo**

dreamworld

**ooooo**

"Matron," the little boy with the dark hair implored. "Is my mother ever coming back?"

The sky was bleak as Edea turned to him. She knelt down beside him and placed a hand on his tiny shoulder.

"Your mother will always be watching over you Squall, from up there," Edea said pointing to the sky.

The boy looked thoughtful for a moment.

"She's dead isn't she? Just like my father."

The boy's face betrayed a indifference that was far too cynical for his tender age. Edea felt a chill run down her spine as she watched him.

"Yes she's dead but she'll always watch over you, Squall." Edea said making one last desperate attempt to salvage his innocence."

"No, the dead just disappear. There is no one watching over me."

Edea shook her head, absolutely clueless as to how to respond to that. She finally turned and to her relief she saw a little blond girl sitting on the steps of the orphanage, playing triple triad. Edea took Squall's hand and led him over to her. Perhaps all he needed were some friends.

"Squall meet Quistis. Quistis, take care of Squall okay? He's new here." Edea said.

Quistis glanced up and smiled. "Would you like to play Triple Triad with me, Squall? No one else would, I keep winning all the time."

"Take it easy on him," Edea warned as she turned and left.

"Here," Quistis said, handing Squall half of the deck she was shuffling. "Practice with that, I won't take any from you for now. When you get better we'll see then."

Squall shuffled the cards, copying her motions. A few games and a many losses later, Squall began to give up.

"You're too good at this, Quistis." He admitted as he handed the cards back to her.

She laughed.

"I'm sure one day, if you keep practicing you'll beat even me. She refused to take back the cards he handed her. "Keep it Squall, it's a welcoming gift from me."

Squall look embarrassed as he accepted the cards. "I have nothing to give you in return."

Quistis carefully packed her cards away in her box.

"In return say you'll be my little brother."

"I already have a sister," he told her in a serious tone.

"You can have more than one," she said.

Squall nodded. "Alright, as long as Ellone is still my sis. She's all I have left of my family now .. .my mother Raine is dead."

"My parents are dead too," Quistis said absently as she reached into her box once more and drew out her most prized card. "Look at this, Squall. It's a Gilgamesh card, these are very rare."

Squall admired the lovely GF card in awe and knew one day . . . he would beat her.

**ooooo**

dreamworld end

**ooooo**

"Squall, are you sleeping?"

Squall rolled over and saw Rinoa. It was another vision, this time of the orphanage. He sat up and scowled. How did she get into his room?

"Can we talk?" She asked.

"If it's about what I said earlier, I'm sorry. I was mad."

"No, it's only partially about that. Listen, why don't you take me for a tour of the Garden?"

"Can't you go by yourself?" He asked.

"Squall, you are going to send a evil sorceress wandering around your Garden without supervision?"

"Good point, I'll ask Zell to accompany you."

"Oh shut up," Rinoa said with humor in her voice as she reached over and tugged him by the arm. "Come, just this once."

Unwillingly, Squall stood up, picked up his gunblade and followed her out of the dorms. As they stepped into the main hall, Xu approached them suddenly.

"Squall," she said. "We've entered Balamb. The Galbadians have taken over. Cid wants me to ask you to take a couple of SeeDs and investigate."


	11. chapter10

Chapter 10 - A Moonless Sonata

" . . ..day. .. nice. . .sea. . Garden." Zell said to Antha as they stood face to face in front of the library.

". . .book. . . reading. . . .yes. . ." she replied.

Zell scratched his head as he suddenly caught sight of Rinoa and Squall walking down the hall.

"Squall! Rinoa! Over here!" he hollered. He saw Squall turn around unwillingly as Rinoa stood a few steps behind him.

Zell took one last look at Antha.

"Go . ..now. . .sorry." he said to Antha who nodded, her pigtails bobbing up and down. Zell ran over to Squall and Rinoa.

"If you are going to Balamb I'm coming with you."

**ooooo**

"The SeeDs are rotten this time of year," Seifer commented sarcastically, glancing out the window.

"Seifer," Raijin began, "are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Burn it down," Seifer muttered. "Burn this goddamn place to the ground if they don't comply."

"With all the people inside?" Raijin asked with uncertainty.

"SILENCE" Fujin said finally in irritation.

"Yeah what she said," Seifer muttered absently.

"Sheesh," Raijin answered and began to walk away. He picked up his fishing pole and left the room.

"Where's he going?" Seifer asked barely moving from his comfortable place by the window.

"FISHING," Fujin said shaking her head.

"Yeah and I'm not coming back," Raijin threatened.

"GOOD," Fujin countered.

Raijin slammed the door to the Galbadian Garden and left. Fujin turned back to Seifer. He was looking out the window remorsefully at the setting sun.

"It's the sorceress Rinoa isn't it?" Fujin asked which surprised him.

"You talk?"

"When I feel like it."

"I'm honored."

"Answer the question."

"No it's not Rinoa," Seifer replied crossing his arms over his chest. "It's her little pussy wuss friend."

"Squall Leonhart," Fujin answered.

"It's just not so fun anymore, this rivalry. It used to be nice, you know, back when I had a posse."

Silence.

Seifer chuckled sarcastically.

"Back when I was still myself. . .it used to be nice."

"I'll be a part of your posse, if you would like Seifer." Fujin offered. "If it's that important to you."

Seifer shrugged. "You know, Maggie and Roger used to tell me what to do. They used to yell at me when I got led astray. I should have taken her advice and left Rinoa alone. You and Raijin, you can't do this for me. I'll never have another posse."

Seifer got up and left.

**ooooo**

"I'm sorry," the guard said at the entrance of Balamb, "no one is allowed in. This town is under Galbadian control."

"But I live here!" Zell exclaimed in fury. Zell punched the air with his fists as though he was preparing to attack the guard but Squall grabbed him and pulled him aside.

"Stop it." Squall snapped. "When the others show up we'll think of a way to get in."

"But Squall!" Zell yelled but glanced nervously at the guard and lowered his voice. "My mother is in there. I'm not going to wait here a minute longer."

"What are you going to do?" Squall asked in exasperation. "Fight the entire Galbadian army?"

Zell sighed in absolute vexation before he suddenly turned to Rinoa.

"Hey can you do something?"

Rinoa frowned and crossed her arms. "What do you mean?"

"Like what you did to Xu, the mind control thing, that was pretty cool." Zell said.

Rinoa looked at Squall. Her eyes were wide in alarm.

_Do you think he knows?_ She asked silently. The unspoken words passed between them understood.

Squall gave her a look of absolute indignation that said something to the effect of,

_He doesn't know how to find his gut with both hands._

He seemed to be in a god awful mood. She decided to stay out of his way.

Rinoa looked to Zell.

"Alright, I'll try but I might need you and Squall to back me up a bit."

Rinoa stepped forward and walked up to the guard. She clasped her hands behind her back and gave him a perfect look of innocence. Squall walked up to the guard once more, stepping unobtrusively in front of Rinoa.

"If you turn us away we won't be able to inform your leader about Garden." He said nonchalantly.

"What do you know about-." The guard asked suddenly. But he suddenly grew quiet as Rinoa's eyes flashed yellow. "I see. . " he said. "Garden, yes, our leader would like to know about Garden. You may pass."

As soon as the guard was out of earshot, Zell grew excited.

"Wow, where did you learn that Rinoa?" He asked happily.

"It's a secret," she replied tritely as she continued after Squall, her eyes scanning the strange pastel town. There were Galbadian guards everywhere, patrolling the streets. The sky was growing dark as night loomed on the horizon, ready to pull a blanket of darkness across the heavens.

"Let's go to my house. I want to see if Ma is okay." Zell said as he waved for them to follow.

As the party entered Zell's house Rinoa was suddenly captivated by the room. There was the scent of pastry in the air overhanging a room filled with cozy soft furniture. Everything here was quaint and neat like the setting of a dream world where there were still mothers to guard children against the claws of the famished Dragon called cynicism. With his jaws dripping with bitterness, eyes colored red in virulence, scales hardened by rejection, the monster was trapped on the outside looking in.

"Zell! You brought your friends!" Ma Dincht announced with glee as she hugged her son. She was a large jolly woman with her greying brown hair tied back in a ribbon, her apron greasy from cooking, her cheeks red with joy. Although both Rinoa and Squall watched with frozen expressions on their faces, both felt a share of sadness.

"I've met you before," Ma Dincht said to Squall. "I won your chubby chocobo card" she said with humor in her voice as Squall blushed slightly.

"Now you," Ma Dincht said turning to Rinoa. "You're a pretty one. You're not Zell's girlfriend are you?" She asked happily.

It was Rinoa's turn to grow red. "No I'm afraid not. Still waiting for him to ask me." she said in a humorous tone.

"Ma, what's going on here?" Zell asked. "What's been going on with the Galbadians?"

"Those dogs have been threatening everyone. They've been here asking about the Garden and some SeeDs that supposedly assassinated their tyrant of a president. They've also been looking for a girl called Ellone. They've taken over the Balamb hotel."

"Don't worry Ma," Zell said. "We'll take care of it." Taking charge, Zell looked to Squall. "Come on let's go check out the hotel."

**ooooo**

"The captain is currently on patrol," the Galbadian soldier said at the entrance to the hotel. "When he returns you can talk to him."

"When will he be back?" Squall inquired.

"We don't know. He's usually gone indefinitely."

"Yo, Squall," Zell said. "Maybe we should stay over at my house tonight. It's getting dark, we'll never find him at this point. What do you say Rinoa?"

Rinoa paused and then cast her hazel eyes on the small town with a touch of longing.

"I would like that."

"Squall?" Zell asked.

" . . . whatever," Squall said looking in the direction of the dock.

**ooooo**

"So this is Zell's room," Squall said.

"Is that your grandfather, Zell?" Rinoa asked pointing to the portrait on the wall.

"Yup!" Zell said enthusiastically. "He's the person I look up to the most! He played a big role in the last war. He wasn't just strong. He knew when to attack, when to retreat.. . "

"Is that why you wanted to join SeeD?" Rinoa asked whimsically.

"Yes! I'm going to be just like my grandfather," Zell announced proudly. "He gave me my first set of gloves. Even though my mom told him not to encourage my fighting since I got into so many brawls, my grandfather always trusted that I would make something of myself. He's my idol."

Rinoa nodded as she reached over and held her left arm tightly in her right.

"My father always encouraged me to take up the pinwheel even though he knew I was a . .. He told me that in case one day my powers failed me, I would always have something to back me up but now . .he's gone and I have nothing left to . . . ."

There was a moment of silence in the room as Rinoa looked down sadly at the floor.

It was Squall that finally spoke up.

"Stay here tonight with Zell, Rinoa."

She looked up. "You're leaving?"

**ooooo**

"There is this girl," Zell began as they sat in his room two hours later, "named Antha."

"The one with the pigtails?" Rinoa asked as she sat cross-legged on Zell's bed, brushing her hair. He was on the floor where Ma Dincht had placed his sleeping bag. "It's just like the sleep overs you used to have!" Ma Dincht had exclaimed which made Zell turn beet red. "Where's Squall? He shouldn't be wandering around at this hour of the night." Ma Dincht had continued. "I'll make some popcorn for you two, don't stay up all night now."

"She's pretty cute," he continued. "But when I get close to her I get all tongue-tied."

"Well Zell, you have to be firm with her," Rinoa said as she shifted the brush to the other side of her head. "Girls like men with confidence."

"Oh but I was thinking more of like rescuing her when she's in trouble, you know." Zell said. "I can be her hero and all."

"No," Rinoa said. "Rescuing girls is a bad way to get them to like you Zell. When you rescue a girl she will feel like she owes you something. You need to start a relationship on an equal footing or it will fall apart eventually."

"Oh," Zell said as he began to pace about the room. "Can you talk to her for me? Rinoa?"

"Yeah sure." Rinoa said as she picked a few strands of her hair out of the brush.

"Work some of your mind controlling stuff on her," Zell said.

Rinoa chuckled. "I'm sure it won't come to that."

"I've told you who I like now it's your turn. You like Squall don't ya?"

Rinoa made a face at him. "What gives you that idea?"

"Well," Zell said, "That's pretty obvious. You're following him around all the time."

"Well he's pretty cute. He's got nice hair and you know Zell, hair is very important to a girl and he's got that ring. What is that carving on it, a lion? It looks pretty cool."

"Hey if you really like it Rinoa, I can get a friend of mine to make a copy for you. All we have to do is get it from him.'

"No," Rinoa said after a moment's thought. "I want it a different way." She looked away, blushing gently.

"Whoa!" Zell said jumping back. "Wait you want it _that_ way?"

"No no of course not!" Rinoa said shaking her head. "It's just that if I am to have it I want him to give it to me of his own will. It's meaningless any other way."

**ooooo**

Three hours later, Rinoa was awoken from troubled sleep by Zell.

"Yo Rinoa get up. I think there's some fighting going on outside."

She opened one eye and looked at him. "It's not Squall is it?"

"I don't know. Let's go check it out."

Wearily Rinoa stumbled out of bed. With one hand she reached for her blue frock.

In the distance, Rinoa saw the a eruption of gold as someone cast a thunder spell. She started running then after Zell as they scrambled down the sleeping streets of Balamb.

As they both burst into the front of the hotel, Zell caught sight of Selphie, Irvine, Nida, Squall and Antha, fighting a dark skinned muscular man and a woman with silver hair. Zell was about to rush into battle beside his friends when suddenly the two opponents stepped back in shock.

"It's the sorceress Rinoa!" the young man said his mouth agape.

"The sorceress!" Selphie asked as she turned her head searching for the cause of Raijin's exclamation.

"You imbecile!" Rinoa said as the air around her began to crackle with energy. The SeeDs stepped back in fear, confusion, and surprise as Rinoa walked slowly towards the two. Her eyes were as yellow as the mid day sun, her hair formed a halo of red around her face as she raised her hand to cast a spell.

Raijin grabbed Fujin, shaking her out of her frozen position as he motioned for her to run. The two of them scrambled away clumsily as Rinoa sent a string of holy spells after them in hot pursuit.

There was complete silence among the SeeDs as Rinoa turned around. Her hair fell back into its natural position and her eyes were those of a normal girl once more. She eyed them for a moment in their silence.

"It's over isn't it, Squall?" she asked.

"She's Rinoa Heartilly?" Selphie asked, drawing her hands to her lips.

Zell stood there with his mouth open. Antha was petrified beside Irvine. Nida looked blank as though he had no idea what was going on.

Squall frowned as he slipped his gunblade away. He took a few steps forward but said nothing. He was at a loss for words.

"I allowed the sorceress Rinoa Heartilly into my house!" Zell exclaimed suddenly as he jumped back.

"Oh my god, the Angel of Death." Antha whispered as she stared at Rinoa in shock.

Strangely it was Irvine then that stepped forward to defend Rinoa.

"Guys, guys, take it easy on the little lady. She's not evil anymore. Didn't you see it? She just finished the battle for us."

"What she did with Xu . . ." Selphie began. "I can't believe I didn't figure it out."

"Squall, Irvine, both of you knew this all along and you didn't tell anyone? Are you insane!" Nida said in fury.

"Shut up," Rinoa ordered as she stepped towards Nida. Nida recoiled as though he had seen a snake.

"Stand back witch!" Nida yelled as he pulled his weapon up.

"Stop it!" Irvine said stepping between the two. "This is going too far. Rinoa is not evil. Nida stop being a chicken wuss. God knows what will happen should we have two of them."

Zell glared at Irvine but he didn't counter. "I agree. Rinoa doesn't seem evil. She saved Garden from the missiles and now she saved you guys from the those Galbadians. I stand by Squall and Irvine."

Rinoa nodded at Zell gratefully. Suddenly Antha walked over to Zell.

"If you three choose to keep this secret I have no objections."

"I don't like it," Selphie said. "But I trust Squall, I trust Irvine and Zell up to a point. I don't know that much about sorceresses anyway." She shrugged and looked away from Rinoa in contempt.

"Nida?" Irvine asked. "Will you do this favor for me and for Squall, even though he doesn't have the guts to ask?"

Nida glanced at Squall, who was scowling at Irvine although it lacked malevolence. Nida finally nodded reluctantly.

"Just for a little while."

"Alright," Irvine said, rubbing his hands together, "Let's go back to Garden now. It's late and I need my sleep."

As they turned, Antha suddenly spoke up.

"This might not be the right time but did you guys hear? Xu was just appointed the Commander of Garden."

**ooooo**

The unwieldy Garden slowly crossed the ocean to Fisherman's Horizon where Cid hoped to find mechanics to fix the steering. In a day's time, the rusty, lackluster city appeared on the horizon and Garden docked. Reluctantly, the city's people agreed to repair the Garden since years ago they had worked on it before. With a vow of peace, the meek citizens of FH allowed the SeeDs into their midst.

While the mechanics worked on the repairs, Selphie talked a few of them into aiding her in holding a concert to cheer up the students of Balamb Garden as well as herself. On the night of the concert, Squall was no where to be seen. Rinoa had disappeared into thin air. To the relief of Squall's small group of friends, it appeared that the two were drifting apart.

Selphie joyfully supervised the preparation of the concert. It was always something she had a knack for. It was a vision that she already saw in her head. The blue lights casting their eerie glow into the sky of the city in the middle of the ocean. As she completed the concert to all its magnificence she felt a pang for sorrow for the Garden Festival and the fact that now it may never be thanks to the sorceress nonsense. It was a pity that they lived in a world with so much useless war. In the end empires may rise and empires may fall, just don't burn the art and music and everything is okay.

It was when the concert began that she caught sight of Irvine, standing alone at the edge of the stage. She skipped over to him, walking the landscape of her own masterpiece. It was times like these that made being alive worthwhile. That for a moment she welcomed reality into her dream, because during such times the boundary between the two blurred. Irvine, mysterious dreamy Irvine, standing by himself bidding her to make him the hero of her fantasy as he was already the hero of so many women's dreams.

"Look what I found Selfie," Irvine said and presented her with a magazine which he had placed beside him, open, on the edge of the stage. Glancing at it she felt her cheeks grow hot as though she was looking at pornography instead of innocent writing.

"Where did you find that?" she asked curiously as she bent down and gathered it to her bosom.

"A friend of mine showed me your website. I downloaded it, is this your secret Selphie?" he asked kindly, playfully.

She nodded mechanically. "Yes it is. Did you read it?"

"Pretty good Selfie. I never knew you were a writer."

She smiled shamefully at him but felt a surge of ecstacy. So now they truly were close and inseparable. He had come into her world, uninvited yes, but unwelcome never.

"I've always been fascinated with writing Irvine."

"I know it's pretty obvious. You have that shrine to some journalist on your site, I forget his name and that diary which you keep so faithfully."

She smiled. "I want to be just like him one day. I want to write for the Timber Maniacs, I want people to read my diaries, to know all about my life and my story. I'm always so happy because I live in that future Irvine, I live in my fantasy. That's my secret, now will you tell me yours?"

Irvine paused as he placed his arm around her slender shoulders.

"Tomorrow, in Trabia, when everyone is around, you'll know what my secret is."

"Promise?" Selphie asked.

He chuckled and wrestled the magazine back from her arms.

"I would never lie to you, Selfie, now let me finish reading this."

**ooooo**

Antha was walking down the hall of the dormitory in dismay when she caught sight of Rinoa standing alone at the window watching the stars with sorrow written on her face. Antha was amazed since no one had seen Rinoa on the entire way to FH. Why did she choose to show herself now? Antha wondered.

Taking advantage of the mysterious encounter, Antha boldly walked up to the fearsome sorceress.

"Excuse me, sorceress Rinoa?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes?" Rinoa asked without turning.

"Umm I just want to apologize for calling you the Angel of Death in Balamb. It just sorta slipped. No hard feelings okay?"

"Don't worry," Rinoa said in a slow weary voice. "I won't turn you into a frog."

"It must be pretty tough to be a sorceress," Antha said. "I'm sorry we were so mean."

Rinoa finally turned her eyes over. "I'm not a child Antha."

"Yeah . .I know . .I" Antha continued.

"Are you going to the concert?" Rinoa asked suddenly.

"Yes," Antha said blushing.

"With Zell?" Rinoa asked disregarding her embarrassment.

"I don't know. He didn't ask me," Antha said nervously, not understanding why the sorceress would want to know such a thing.

"Do you want go with him?" Rinoa asked quietly.

"I . . .guess." Antha said softly, hardly speaking above a whisper.

"I can help you, Antha." Rinoa said whimsically.

"Umm . . do I have to sign over my immortal soul or something?" Antha asked, thinking about what she had heard about making a pact with the devil.

Rinoa laughed, a soft girlish one, not the cackle of a witch. It made Antha relax slightly.

"Come on," Rinoa said. "I'll help you child. Zell won't be able to resist when I'm done with you."

As they walked away Rinoa felt a twinge of nostalgia, for her mother, for Edea.

**ooooo**

A few moments later, Antha stood in front of the mirror with her hair out of the pigtails. Rinoa reached over gently and brushed her wavy loose brown locks. The dim light of the dorm cast a ghostly pallor upon her face. Antha was dressed in a short blue dress with small straps around her shoulders. Rinoa had powdered her face, placed jewels in her hair and a emerald necklace around her throat. As Antha curiously studied herself in the mirror she looked over at Rinoa.

"Will he like me now, Rinoa?" she asked.

"You are beautiful," Rinoa said softly. "He won't be able to resist."

Taking the girl gently by hand, Rinoa led her out of the dorm. As they walked down the dormitory hall, Rinoa left her standing alone.

"I'm scared, Rinoa." Antha said. "What if .. "

"No," Rinoa said. "Don't be. Remember what I told you to say. It won't fail you and even if it does, think of it this way, those are my words. If he rejects you, it would be the equivalent of rejecting me. Either way, Antha you have nothing to lose."

Antha nodded vigorously, "okay, I'll remember that and I won't stutter."

"Okay, he's all yours."

Antha waited there in the hallway for a few moments before she heard heavy footsteps approaching. She gulped nervously as she saw Zell walking her way.

"Zell!" she called out suddenly.

A look of tension on his face, Zell approached her.

". .. .night . .. . .pretty.. . .you. . ." he said in broken speech.

"Ok, come on," Antha said, remember what Rinoa told her. "Let's go to the concert."

" . ..wha? . . . .I . . . .am . . ." Zell continued unable to contain his shock.

"We're still teenagers, let's act like it" Antha said.

"Yeah . . . " Zell said, finally choking out a comprehensive word. Antha smiled and took Zell's hand.

"Let's go to the concert."

Zell's face broke into a shy smile.

"Yeah .. .in . .mood. . for. . ."

"C'mon!" Antha said happily with nervous giddiness as she dragged Zell off.

On the stage beside the Mayor's house in FH, Antha and Zell stepped watched the concert in a brief moment of awkward silence. Zell had finally began to collect himself. Somehow her assertiveness was making him less nervous. He wondered how this sudden change in nature came about when suddenly she grabbed his hand.

"Dance with me!" she said.

Zell frowned. "Are ..you feeling .. okay .. Antha?" he asked, his voice clearing up significantly.

"I'm fine." Antha finally said, abandoning Rinoa's script. "But will you please? Dance with me?"

Zell smiled and led her onto the dance floor.

"Ready? One two three!" Antha said as she began to swing Zell about.

He couldn't dance but neither could she. They squealed and giggled to the loud obnoxious concert, as other couples began to join them on the floor. Antha tossed her hair out in a glamours wave as Zell dipped her. He smiled at her boldly as he brought her back into a standing position.

"I've never had this much fun at a dance before," he whispered to her as the dance grew slow.

She was breathing hard from the strenuous activity. Never, even in her SeeD training had she been put through such a emotional and physical roller coaster. Holding onto Zell's muscular shoulder, she leaned close and spoke into his ear.

"Neither have I, Zell " she realized suddenly that she had not stuttered once.

**ooooo**

The notes came softly at first, promising to be calm, two noted, blazing and exquisitely distinct that stopped him in his tracks. He turned to leave when a deluge of notes came, in a fervent torrent, racing each other in a crystalline pursuit for the stars. Up and down the notes rang in gorgeous throbbing twists and turns, demanding to be followed as they raced on and on, higher and higher, nobler and more perfect.

It stopped then, stealing from the sky this mysterious miracle. He ached to hear more, as the notes begged him to bear witness and share another's anxious and demanding furor. He could only shut his eyes and wait, wait for the pristine cascade of sounds to return. In beautiful defiance of the haunting silence the song returned, in crispness and directness that he had never heard before in an instrument.

He began to walk then, across the bridge to the mayor's house where the concert had ended an hour ago. He must see from whose fingers came this miraculous song that threatened to the very sanity of the mortal which heard it. On and on he walked, closer and closer to the rolling notes that vibrated with longing and sorrow.

He stepped onto the stage where the cluttered junk laid in piles and crinkled under his feet as he walked. There, on the platform was the grand piano from which these notes poured forth. What a triumph of fervor this instrument was as it colored the darkness with hues of bliss and woe. The full reality of the situation hit him when he realized that it was _she_ who sat on the white gloss bench, her fingers moving violently across the pearly grin of the creamy keys. Her black hair was flying about her shoulders as she pounded out one heated volley of notes after another as though she defied the very future itself. She charged onward, unable to stop as she flung the melody out pulsating through the sky like thunder. And finally she lifted both of her hands from the keyboard and stopped.

Silence as loud as it had ever been, rushed into his ears.

"Keep playing," he whispered.

She opened her eyes and looked up completely startled. Lurching back, she almost fell from the bench.

"I'm sorry," she said with a look of shame across her face as she stumbled up from the bench.

"I'm not supposed to be here. I was uninvited." She said remorsefully.

"Neither was I. What does it matter?" He asked.

She ran her fingers over the ivory keys as though she was stroking a child.

"This is a song called 'eyes on me.'" She whispered.

"I've never heard it played that way before."

"I weave my own variations in." Rinoa replied.

"Play it again," he implored softly.

She sat down on the bench obediently and began to play once more. Gently this time, with the air of placidness which emitted a new satiation as though she had gorged herself on glorious madness to the full. The notes came trembling, in sharp decisive discord. He closed his eyes and listened praying that she would never stop and steal from his darkness the only sun it had ever seen.

"I've only played this song for those who are close to me," she muttered as she went on. "I keep my music close to my heart."

He nodded but said nothing. She stopped then and lifted her fingers from the keys. She looked up reluctantly.

"Squall, sit beside me. Please?"

He walked closer to her, to his pale faced sorceress, watching. At that moment he could have sat down beside her and perhaps he could have even placed his hands upon her. He wanted to, in a way he had never felt before. He wanted to be with her, just her. Be here forever wandering among his thoughts as she played her majestic song. But he couldn't, because he was Squall Leonhart, because he was a SeeD because he was afraid of losing her.

"This is wrong, Rinoa, for us to be together."

"No," she said as she looked up at him. "Do you know what's wrong Squall? For you to work so hard for those ungrateful SeeDs. You don't believe in their mission, they treat you like a dog and in return you get nothing except a pitiful salary. Why do you do this Squall? What personal satisfaction could this miserable lifestyle possibly impart upon you?"

Squall looked away and studied the surrealistic environment about them. It was like a dream, the plates reflecting the empty sky. The flourescent lights had been long turned off and the sky had not one star gracing its black browed face. The music began again more dizzying than the strongest liquor. It drowned out his skepticism and replaced it with a feeling of bittersweet comfort. Then he began to speak of things which he never spoke of before even to himself and once he began the words poured forth from his mouth in a long story of tragedy.

"My mother died when I was young, very young." he began slowly at first "She was delirious as she laid on her death bed. .. .they, her friends, took me and my sister away because the Estharian soldiers were coming. They had pursued us for five long years and we had always gotten away just barely." he paused, and swallowed thickly as though he was silently reliving the times in his mind. He knew that he should stop.

He had already said too much. The music began again, gently, softly, rolling on and on, biding him to please her the way she was trying please him. She deviously played on, prodding him, reminding him that he had asked her to keep playing and that she had asked him for his heart's deepest thoughts. A favor for a favor. That was the exchange that had been silently agreed upon.

Perhaps he had been cheated. He had never agreed to give this story to anyone but on the other hand she had never agreed to play her music in the presence of just anyone either. Perhaps at that moment they were giving each other gifts that had never exchanged hands before or maybe nothing really exchanged hands at all. It did not matter, feeling a strange sense of comfort he continued to speak to her and at the same time to himself.

"It was my sister Ellone they wanted and my mother refused to give her up. My father. . he died trying to prevent them from taking her. . . because he loved her so much, more than he could ever even love a daughter born of his own blood."

You can't give someone something which they already had within themselves, he thought absently. He continued speaking just because he started and could not stop. The story had begun, the same tale which he had told himself like a monstrous fairy tale, night after haunting night. He never forgot his past like he forgot Quistis, his childhood or his own words. It was the only thing he had, the only legacy his parents left behind. And he told her now, the sorceress before him, because she was a part of that story although she did not know it.

His voice was soft then, a thousand times softer than a whisper. He did not want to say anymore. This was so unlike him to say such things. Yet he wanted her to understand because she was the only one capable of understanding. Because she could help him out of this web of darkness. Because in return he would help her. It was what was meant to be.

Raine, beautiful Raine. He saw Raine in her, the girl before him. It was as though she was here to fill the hole Raine left in the world. Or maybe the memories were just jumbled up in his head- what he saw in Winhill, in the mist, what two teenagers had died for. Surely that great tragedy was worth the story he told now, surely a life was a fair price to pay for him to step out of his character and tell this sad story.

"I failed my mother, I couldn't do what my father did, be the man my father was so that's why. . " he trailed off into oblivion as Rinoa nodded her head in understanding.

Whimsically, the music trailed off and evaporated into the night air.

"I understand but I still pity you." She said quietly.

"It doesn't matter," he said gruffly suddenly. "Perhaps you should be getting back to Garden. Dawn might be coming soon and we are going to Trabia or so I've heard."

She nodded. "Squall wait," she implored suddenly. "I'm glad we had this talk. I'm glad you choose to open up to me. I just wish I understood my past as well as you understand yours. Maybe then, I could open up to you as well. . .I've been keeping some things . .. back."

"We all have our secrets," he assured her half gently half impatiently. The music ended and strangely he did not feel so connected to her as he did before. The song was a spell more powerful than any that can be drawn from man or beast.

"But some have more than others," Rinoa whispered back cryptically as she brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "There are things Squall I wish I could tell you but I can't because . . ."

She felt his hand on her shoulder then as she sat there with her pale fingers on the ivory keys, and her voice trembling with the same melody of sadness her song sung of before. She reached over and squeezed his hand, trying to draw out of him every drop of tenderness he was capable of giving.

She sighed sadly.

"Come,"he whisper from behind her. "Let's go."

"I'll stay here a bit longer. There is some business I need to take care of." She replied staring guiltily at her own distorted reflection in the ivory.

He looked her over once more.

"I trust you, Rinoa."

She was shocked into fear but then she quickly nodded.

"Your secret is safe, Squall, with me."

He glanced at her one last time before he left. It chilled her to the bone. His eyes were like two crystal bullets glaring at her from the depths of their dark dwelling. He could look downright monstrous when he chooe to. Yet, trying to appear undaunted, Rinoa walked to the edge of the stage and picked up an abandoned cell phone. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she dialed a number she knew by heart.

"Yes?" A voice on the other side said.

"Ellone is not here, Ultimecia," Rinoa said. "It's a waste of time for me to stick to this plan anymore. I think it's time for a change."

Standing there in the cold night wind, Rinoa nodded as Ultimecia explained their new course of action.


	12. chapter11

Chapter 11- Childhood's End

Selphie walked up to the crumbling wall of Trabia Garden.

"A . .direct hit?" she asked in sorrow.

"Horrible," Irvine muttered as he watched Selphie begin to climb the twisting vines of the decaying wall. Behind him, Zell followed leaving Squall and Rinoa standing there still in the snow.

Irvine watched Selphie as she spoke to the survivors of the missile attack.

_I should say something to comfort her._ Irvine thought as he tentatively walked up to them.

"Hey!" Selphie's friend suddenly said. "Have you been taking care of Selphie?"

Irvine smiled. "She's my little buddy."

"That's all?" Selphie asked giggling. "That doesn't sound like you at all."

"Well Selphie," Irvine continued. "Pretty girls come and go but you'll always be my little dancing nightingale."

She was silent then for a moment. "Now I really didn't expect that from you."

Irvine shrugged. "I like ya a lot Sefie."

She smiled and jumped in glee. "Wait for me at the old basketball courts, Irvine. I'll be there soon."

"Where's Rinoa?" Zell asked as the group congregated at the run down basketball courts.

"She probably doesn't know that we need to meet here," Irvine said. "Hey Squall, since Selphie's not here yet, why don't you go find Rinoa?"

_Why me?_ Squall wondered. _If she wants to leave so let her. What happened to all your evil sorceress gibberish? Why is she suddenly considered one of us?_

"Squall?" Irvine asked. "Hey you listening?"

"She'll show up if she wants to." Squall replied.

"Yo, Squall," Zell said. "That's pretty harsh."

Squall scowled at all of them. Finally he gave in and throwing his hands down in disgust, he went searching for her. A few moments later he found her in the old cemetery that laid on the outskirts of Trabia Garden.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he saw her crouching in front of one of the tombstones, rubbing the dust off the carved lettering.

"Looking. . for someone." she said without turning as she drew her hand back, sighed in resignation and began to walk away. She crouched down at another tombstone down the row and picked some of the dirt out of the letters so that she could see what was written beneath.

"Who?"

"A man," she said. "That my father told me to find. He's supposed to be the one I am destined to be with."

"So you are looking for him in a cemetery?"Squall asked. _I see your logic, he probably killed himself when he realized that you were his destiny._

"I asked someone if they recognized the name and he told me that he thought he saw something carved on a tombstone of that name. So I came here since this is where all the tombstones are."

"What's the name?" Squall asked.

"I can't tell you. My father made me swear not to." she said absently as she moved on, browsing the next round of graves.

"You can tell a stranger on the street and yet you can't tell me?" He asked.

"Well Squall," she said as she patted her hands to get the dirt off. "You are too close to this sorceress business for me to share that information with you."

"Whatever," he said nonchalantly. "We are meeting at the old basketball courts. Come, don't come, it's up to you."

"Hey Irvine," Selphie said as she appeared in the basketball court. "What's with all that nightingale stuff?"

Irvine grinned as he walked up to her. He took pleasure in the fact that he was half a foot taller than her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Squall casually take a place leaning against a fallen wall.

"I grew up Selphie, in an orphanage by the sea. There was this girl I knew there. She was my best friend."

"Is this your secret, Irvine?" Selphie asked as she felt her face fall. So maybe Irvine was in fact loyal to one girl, and he had led her this far just to drop her with the harsh truth.

Irvine boldly walked up to Selphie and bent down slightly so that she would be forced to look into his face. "She used to play with me when no one else would. There was a beach nearby, we used to sit there for hours and she would tell me stories, beautiful stories, sad stories, romantic ones, she was my only love."

"You are you taunting me, Irvine?" Selphie exclaimed. "What is it? Do I remind you of her?"

Irvine threw back his head and laughed as he watched her hilarious pouting expression.

"You don't remember any of it, Selphie? None at all?"

Selphie gasped suddenly as she drew her hand up to her gaping lips.

"The stone orphanage by the sea! The lighthouse . . . I am that girl! Oh Irvy!" she yelled in glee as she hugged him by the neck choking the life out of him.

"Wait a second," Zell interrupted as he stepped closer. "This is strange as hell but I think I remember that orphanage too. I remember setting off fireworks. You were there Irvine . .and you Selphie . . .and some more kids."

Selphie giggled as she jumped up and down clapping her hands. "We all grew up together. Oh this is just spiffy!"

Zell scratched his head, "this is really strange. You, me, Selphie, I didn't remember any of this."

"Do you remember a girl named, who was our older sister." Irvine implored growing serious as he hugged the hyper Selphie to his side. "Her name was Quistis."

"Quistis," Zell muttered, taking on a thoughtful position, testing the word on his tongue.

Irvine glanced at Squall from the corner of his eye. Squall was no longer leaning against the wall, he was standing now, frowning deeper than ever. He looked so vicious he could probably scare small children if there were any nearby. Truly, one should not be allowed to have such frozen transparent eyes. They were enough to make one turn to stone.

"No," Zell finally responded. "I don't remember that name at all."

Irvine turned all his attention to Squall now.

"I know you remember, Squall," Irvine hissed accusingly. "You remember what she did right? Your sister. . .and what she gave up .. for you."

Squall closed his eyes. He knew then even though he had not the concrete memories that Irvine was insinuating something.

"It was her choice," Squall suddenly said in words which surprised even himself. "I never told her to do what she did . .. for me."

"But it was you!" Irvine said. "You destroyed her life. You could have said something. They were all waiting for you to make that choice, Cid, Edea, me, Selphie, all of us but you never did . . .you let them take her!"

"No!" Squall suddenly said as he flung his arm out in a gesture of disbelief. "It wasn't my choice."

"What's going on?" Rinoa asked as she suddenly appeared.

"It's a lie," Squall hissed once more as he turned to leave yet he didn't take two stepped before he fell to his knees.

"Squall!" Rinoa said as she bent down beside him. She hardly laid her hand on him when he suddenly collapsed unconscious. She caught him before he could fall face down on the floor and cradled him in her lap.

"What's going on!" she asked glanced wildly at him and then at the group of stunned spectators.

There was no answer. Shock was written on the face of all his friends.

"Wake up, Squall," Rinoa whispered as she leaned over him. "Please wake up."

dreamworld

The girl with the golden hair flung back her head and laughed.

"You will never beat me, Squall."

He collected his cards and shuffled then. "It's that plus rule. I don't understand it."

Quistis smiled brightly. "You will, sooner or later. If you don't I would be a bad teacher won't I? And you know how I want to be a teacher when I grow up .. ."

"Hey you two playing cards again?" Seifer asked as he appeared in the garden. "Poor Squall, you still haven't learned that it's impossible to win against Quistis?"

Quistis frowned at him and shoved her cards in her pocket. "Mind your own business, Seifer."

Seifer laughed lightly and punched Squall playfully on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go beat up Zell."

Squall glanced up and saw Ellone wandering unsteadily into the garden when he suddenly pushed his two playmates aside.

"Maybe. ..later." he said absently to Seifer as he ran over to Ellone. "Are you okay sis?" the tiny boy asked.

Ellone looked up . "Squall," she whispered with fear in her voice. "They're coming. I can feel it. We need to get out of here. They know I am here!"

"No," Squall suddenly said with alarm in his voice. "They can't . . I" Squall remembered his mother's voice echoing through his head. "I'll protect you," Squall assured her. "I will."

"What's going on?" Quistis asked as she approached the two. Although Quistis was much younger than Ellone, she did look mature for her age. Squall didn't feel queer calling her his older sister especially since she reminded him so much of Ellone herself. She reached over and touched Ellone on the shoulder.

"Nothing,"Ellone said quickly.

"The soldiers are coming," Squall explained to Quistis against Ellone's wishes. "They're gonna take Ellone. I have to protect her now that Raine is dead."

Quistis looked troubled. "Ellone are they close by?"

There came a sudden loud knock at the front door of the orphanage and the three children were frozen in place.

"It's them," Ellone said in fear.

"Go, Ellone," Quistis ordered as she reached over and grabbed Squall's tiny hand. "Let me and Squall take care of it. Run to the meadows and hide."

Ellone hesitated for a moment staring at the two children in disbelief. Squall was five, Quistis, six, what could they possibly do? Yet in her distress she followed Quistis's orders and ran to the field, she would not let them take her.

Quistis looked at her small friend whose freezing hand was hanging onto her like a clamp. He knew too well the terror of the Estharian pursuit and at that moment Quistis would have done anything to bear the burden for him.

"Come on Squall," she whispered. "It will be okay, don't be afraid."

She walked him into the house where she saw two tall Estharian soldiers standing. There were more of them outside but the small orphanage could not possibly accommodate them all. Cid and Edea stood before the soldier with terrified expressions across their faces. They had begun to regret agreeing to shelter Ellone here. Her powers would be enough to destroy the world should she fall to a mad witch like Adel.

"She's not here!" Cid said in distress. "I've never even heard of that name, now would you please leave, you are scaring the children."

The two soldiers glanced around the orphanage at the rows of frightened youngsters.

"Are you sure these are all the children under your care?" One of the soldiers ordered.

"Yes!" Edea said pretending to be irritated. "These are all."

"Alright then. I know you have her, we'll be keeping an eye on you but as for now, we'll leave you-" one of the soldiers began before his buddy's eyes suddenly lite up.

"Wait a second" he said and across the room. He shoved Quistis aside roughly and grabbed Squall by the arm. "Well well, look it's the Loire boy. See I told you, Dan, they're here. Where is your sister boy?" the soldier demanded.

Edea took a step forward in horror before Cid grabbed her and assured her that it was useless. The soldier grabbed Squall tightly with both hands and shook him.

"Come on, where is she? Say it!" the soldier demanded. Squall refused to speak a word. He stared back coldly at the man with a bitter hatred that enough to send a chill down the older man's spine. The other soldier walked over to the pair.

"Where is Ellone!" he demanded and he reached down and slapped Squall across the face violently. "Where is she?" he said venomously.

Edea was trying to resist her husband's efforts to restrain her. "Stop it! Let him go." she bellowed to no avail.

The soldier shoved Squall against the wall pinning him against it. His buddy drew out a switchblade and drew it up to the little boy's throat.

"I don't care if you are a kid, I'll gladly slit your throat open so you can go join your mother and father. Now where is she?" he demanded. Squall looked away, there were tears in his eyes but he refused to give them satisfaction of seeing him weep. No he would not let his mother and father's death be in vain. If it was his life that was the price for honoring the memory of his dead parents then so be it.

But someone came to his rescue. Quistis reached over and grabbed the soldier's arm, the one who was holding the blade.

"Stop it, stop hurting my brother. I am Ellone. Let him go."

The soldier's mouth opened in a pearly grin. "I knew this would work."

The other one shoved Squall aside roughly. He reached over and took Quistis by the arm and began to drag her away. The children of the orphanage regarded Squall as he slowly got back to his feet. They were all watching, waiting for him to tell Quistis no, that he would not allow her to do this but he said nothing. Cid said nothing and neither did Edea as they watched the little girl with hair the color of the mid summer sun, throw away her future with both hands. Yet they did not speak up either because to give Quistis was to give one life, to give Ellone would be giving a billion.

The front door was left agape where Quistis disappeared. Finally Squall broke out of his trance and ran after her. He caught up with her outside of the orphanage. He stood there, unmoving as he wondered what to do. Her hair was lake of gold in the wind and her eyes, the color of dew speckled spring grass. She saw him as well and nodded sadly. In a moment of strength she yanked herself from the guards and ran over to him. She managed to grab him by the arm before they caught up with her. Leaning over she had only enough time to whisper, "Squall, don't ever forget me." She caught his hand and place something in it as they pulled her away. This time the guard picked her up and carried her to their helicopter.

Squall looked down at his hand.

A Gilgamesh card.

dreamworld end

"He's coming around!" Selphie squealed as Squall began to stir in Rinoa's arms. Rinoa looked down in relief as Squall drew his hand up to his scarred forehead. She drew her arms away from him as he sat up.

"What happened, Squall?" Zell asked. "You had all of us scared out of our wits."

Squall ignored him as he sat there for a moment holding his hand to his forehead.

"Was it what I said?" Irvine asked. "I'm sorry Squall. I didn't know you were going to faint on me."

Squall glared at Irvine for his demeaning comment as he struggled to his feet. Rinoa reached over to help him and was surprised when he didn't push her aside.

"Leave me alone," Squall said under his breath as he stumbled away. Rinoa glanced at the confused expressions on the faces of his friends.

"Let him be. Why don't you guys go back to Garden first? Let me talk to him." She said as she glanced in the direction where he disappeared.

Irvine who knew that he was the last one Squall wanted to see at the moment, agreed immediately. Zell nodded too as he realized that Rinoa had a way with Squall. Selphie who didn't really cared either way, followed Irvine as he left.

And so Rinoa followed Squall in the direction where he had gone. She found him standing alone on the outskirts of Trabia Garden. She walked up to him quietly listening to the soft crunch of the virgin snow under her feet.

"Do you want to talk?" she asked him as she came to his side. He stood there with his hand on his hip as though he was in deep contemplation. She rubbed her bare arms trying to generate a bit of warmth as they stood together, silently, in the snowfield.

"Don't hide yourself from me, Squall," she whispered quietly. "I'm not one of your teammates here by order. I follow you of my own free will and I'll always be here by your side as long as you would have me here."

He spoke up then, to her surprise. "No, you're wrong. Everyone leaves you sooner or later. My mother, Quistis, Ellone. You agreed with me remember? In Timber when I said that we are all always alone."

"Yes but I also said that there was the hope for something better. You are that hope, Squall, for me. I know that now. When you collapsed today I was so afraid. I've never been so scared in my life. If you should die, Squall, I can't imagine how I would go on living."

He looked up at her face for a moment and realized that she was completely serious.

"Don't say that," he ordered urgently. "Should I ever die I don't want to think that I will have your blood on my hands as well." Somehow her words were so wrong, he couldn't quite place why they sounded so terribly erroneous. Something he had seen a long time ago seemed to burst free at that moment and surface from beneath the ocean of his unconsciousness.

_Winhill. The mist over Winhill._

She shrugged and kicked the snow under her feet.

"Will you tell me now what's troubling you?" she asked as she rubbed her arms some more.

"Quistis," he said softly. "I had a dream about her. It's probably Ellone that's doing this to me. Ellone isn't happy with the present so she wants to change the past."

She nodded in understanding.

"So what do you plan to do?"

"I think I would like to find Quistis. I think I know where she is." Squall stated faintly.

Rinoa lifted an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that, Squall? She might not be the Quistis you remember."

"I don't care. I need to find her. You don't need to come with me, this is just something I need to settle with my past."

"No," she said. "If you are going to seek out the sorceress Quistis, there's no way in hell am I letting you go alone."

He shrugged and turned. "If you insist."

Home

Chapter 12


	13. chapter12

Chapter 12 - To Take His Ring

"Xu," Nida said as the Garden neared the Cape of Good Hope "Maybe you should take a look at this."

Xu walked over and took the binoculars from Nida. Glancing through them she saw the flaming Galbadian Garden hoovering in mid air. She felt a sinking feeling in her chest as she realized that this was an unavoidable war.

"Alright," Xu said as she stepped up to the loudspeaker. "We are going in."

**ooooo**

"Rinoa, where are you going?" Antha asked, running up to her.

"This isn't my war, Antha," Rinoa replied, she tossed her hair over her shoulder casually and glanced down the deserted hallway. So all the students have gathered at the front gate or the Quad, how nice. The dorms were empty for her to wait the war through in.

"Oh," Antha said quietly. "But I feel better knowing you are nearby, you are so powerful the Galbadian scum won't stand a chance. I know I'm a SeeD candidate but sometimes I get scared when I fight. I'm afraid that when the fight is over someone I love might be dead."

Rinoa looked at the young girl with a degree of sympathy. She reached over and touched the girl's cold hands. "Listen Antha, if anyone you love gets into serious trouble come find me. I'll be in the second dorm to the right down the last hall."

Antha nodded her head vigorously. "Okay, thank you Rinoa, you're like my older sister!"

Rinoa patted her hand one last time. "Remember, only if it is an emergency. I don't want Garden to become furious with me for interfering with their war."

**ooooo**

"Where is Squall?" Xu asked as she stepped down from the elevator.

"He's in the Quad," Irvine said as he ran toward the entrance. "He has a even ID number right? Isn't that what you said?" he asked Xu who flung her hands down in annoyance.

"No, I meant for him to come meet me in the Headmaster's office. . .oh never mind!" Xu exclaimed as she ran in the direction of the Quad. Xu felt the Garden shake under her feet as she skid down the smooth floor of the hallway. Getting back up she continued to run however as she entered the Quad she quickly realized her mistake. The Galbadians had entered, they rode in on motorcycles which went over the oval surfaces of the Balamb Garden. One of the rider swiped his sword at her but she ducked, avoiding a painful decapitation.

Xu bolted past the students brandishing their weapons and brawling with the Galbadians that had dismounted from their motorcycles but there was no sign of Squall. It was just her luck that he was the type who would be attracted to fighting where the it was the most intense. Xu pushed her way past some more soldiers and shouldered her way into the center of the Quad. She stretched her neck, looking for any sign of Squall's glittering gunblade. She heard a horrible blood curling scream around the corner and when she found her way over to the deck she saw a ground littered with fallen soldiers, Galbadian and Garden alike.

"Squall!" Xu suddenly exclaimed as she caught sight of the snowy collar of his leather jacket. She rushed over to his side, narrowly dodging a blow from a Galbadian's spear. She kept to his side, drawing out her weapon in preparation but ducked to one side as Squall swung his arm and slashed a Galbadian across the midsection spilling his guts onto the dusty floor of the pastel deck.

"What is it?" Squall asked without turning his eyes. There was a smudge of blood adorning his cheek like a red badge of courage. His eyes were aglow with fury as he attacked wildly taking down a dozen men in a brief period of aristae.

"I want you to lead the attack into their Garden!" Xu yelled, trying to be heard above the desperate screams of fallen warriors. She dodged a fire spell from a trooper when Squall suddenly yanked her behind him in a gesture more of frustration than camaraderie. Xu decided to give up attacking and talking at the same time as she hid behind Squall.

"We won't be able to stand much more of this Squall," Xu said. "Please, I need you to lead some SeeD in there and attack their leader. That's our only chance for victory."

"Watch out!" a Garden student suddenly yelled as the wiser students retreated to the Quad. Looking up too late, Xu saw the Galbadian Garden slam into the deck. The ground under them crumbled like ash.

"Squall!" Xu yelled as she began to plummet through air. She waved her arms desperately trying to find something to hold to latch onto when she felt a sudden jerk on her sleeve. Looking up, she realized that Squall had caught her by the cloth of her SeeD uniform. He too was hanging off the side of the jaggered ledge of the Quad.

"Hold on!" he yelled as he began to pull her up to give her a hold on the edge of the cliff as well. Xu felt a shiver run through her body as a shower of bullets riddled the rockface a few feet away.

"We're not going to make it!" Xu yelled in fear as she held tight onto the ledge. The bullets were coming closer.

"Get up!" Squall shouted as he turned his eyes to the airborn Galbadian soldier. Xu was scrambling up as she dragged herself up onto the deck up to her waist.

"Squall!" She yelled as a bullet struck the rocks an inch away from his left side.

"Go!" Squall said as he looked up at her. Then to her utter amazement, he jumped onto one of the vehicles of the Galbadian paratrooper. Climbing onto steady ground, Xu watched as Squall punched the paratrooper in the face in effort to loosen his grip. She breathed a sigh of relief as Squall finished the Galbadian off with a kick to the stomach.

"Do you know how to land that thing!" she yelled.

He looked up with a vexed expression on his face when suddenly the top of the green vehicle exploded. He hung fast to the rope as the machine went out of control. It swivelled to the right and began to plummet. Squall jumped from the piece of junk right before it went crashing into the blade like rings of the base of the Balamb Garden. Xu looked down and saw Squall hanging onto the cliff a long way down. There was no way for her to reach him.

"Xu!" A SeeD yelled from behind her. "You are needed in the Headmaster's office!"

Reluctantly, Xu left her place at the edge of the deck. There were other people she needed to attend to, Squall would just have to wait.

"Zell!" Xu yelled as she ran to the elevator. "Listen you need to do me a favor."

Zell nodded at Xu as he pressed Antha to his side. "Yes commander," he said standing at attention.

"Squall fell off the side of Garden. You need to lead the attack into the Galbadia Garden."

"The side of Garden?" Zell yelled. "Shouldn't we be trying to save him?"

"I'll send someone else to try, later. We need to attack Galbadia Garden now or we will all die. Take Irvine, and Selphie with you!" Xu screamed over the ruckus as she entered the elevator.

Zell glanced at Antha. "Let's go find Irvine and Selphie." However, Antha drew away from him.

"No." She said. "I need to go."

"Huh?" Zell asked in surprise as Antha ran from him as fast as she could . .to the dorms.

**ooooo**

"What is_ she_ doing here?" Xu asked as Rinoa stepped into the Headmaster's office with Antha by her side. Zell, Selphie and Irvine were all gathered there. They looked up in alarm as Rinoa took a few steps closer to Xu in a threatening manner.

"Where is Squall?" she asked quietly, forcefully.

Xu glared at her. "This is Headmaster's office, only SeeDs are allowing in here."

"Xu!" Antha said. "Please."

"I am the commander!" Xu said desperately trying to take control of the situation. "As long as I am in charge there will be order here!"

"You are not my commander," Rinoa reminded her as she stepped closer to Xu. Her eyes started flashing a yellowish white which instantly frightened Xu out of her wits.

"You are a sorceress!" Xu suddenly hissed as she fell back.

"Rinoa!" Zell yelled as he tried to grab her by the arm but Rinoa easily shook him off. She reached out with one hand and grabbed Xu by the throat and lifted Xu a few feet into the air.

"Where is he?" Rinoa asked again, her voice calm still.

"The Quad . ." Xu whispered.

**ooooo**

"What are you doing Rinoa?" Selphie asked as she watched Rinoa glancing out the window of the second floor classroom. Suddenly, Rinoa found what she was looking for as she caught sight of the abandoned paratrooper vehicles which the Galbadian soldiers had used to attack the classroom. With one hand she reached out and caught the dangling rope of the one in the center.

"Rinoa!" Selphie exclaimed suddenly. "Do you have any idea how to fly one of those?"

Rinoa shrugged as she tugged on the rope to make sure it held strong.

"I'm sure I'll figure it out. My father was the general of the Galbadian army after all."

"You're insane!" Selphie said. "You're going to get yourself killed."

Rinoa climbed up to the edge of the window and wrapped herself around the rope.

"Then it'll be just one less sorceress for you to worry about, Selphie." She replied as she began to climb the rope. Selphie ran over to the window and stuck her head out. In a moment of impulse she suddenly cried out,

"Good luck! We'll be waiting at the entrance to Galbadia Garden for the two of you."

Rinoa nodded in gratitude as she finally reached the green body of the vehicle. She opened the flap for the control panel and began to push a few of the buttons in the hope that by chance they would be the correct ones. The luck which Selphie wished her must have been a keeper because at that moment, the vehicle flared to life and loosened its gripe on the exterior of Balamb Garden.

In the distance she saw the blaze of magic spells and the clash of weapons as the war raged on. The wind swept her dark locks away from her face as she flew over the side of the on her way to the Quad. She smiled suddenly as she him hanging onto the rocky face of the nether regions of what had once been the deck of the Quad. He reached over and caught the rope as she swept by him. She wanted to laugh again as she felt his weigh on her machine. It was just one of those moments where you are filled to the brim with relief, joy, good humor and a appreciation of the utter ridiculousness of the situation that you just want to throw back your head and give in to maniacal mirth. But she didn't, instead she swallowed it and struggled to keep the frown on her face as the contraption brushed against the ground. He jumped off first, then she followed, allowing him to catch her by the waist as she barely avoided tripping. She was never very adept at diving from high places.

"Come on," he ordered as he began to run in the direction of Galbadia Garden. She followed him, ducking instinctively as a bomb shook the earth beneath them. As they finally broke free of the fighting front he turned to her.

"No don't" she said suddenly as she saw the expression on his face that he was about to say something that wasn't easy, especially for him. "I understand you don't need to say it."

"Alright," he said in relief. "I'm going in," he said gesturing to the Galbadian Garden. "You don't have to come if you don't want to. Chances are we are going to be fighting Edea and Seifer. You should think this over carefully."

Rinoa shook her head vigorously. "No are you joking? Of course I'm coming. I'm scared to death but that's not going to stop me from standing by you during this last battle."

"If that is what you want." He glanced away, seemingly about to leave when he suddenly looked back and spoke again, in a tone of utter seriousness. "Zell told me that you admire my ring."

Rinoa felt her face turn crimson. "I'll have to kill him," she whispered in part jest, part mortification.

"I really like this ring," he informed her with a look of disapproval on his face as though she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"I know," Rinoa replied quickly. "I'm sorry, we were just talking in a friendly way that night and it just kind of slipped out. . . .I don't plan to steal it or anything."

"Really?" he asked lifting an eyebrow. "Because I was considering giving it to you."

She stood silent for a moment.

"Are you insane?" She breathed. "This isn't for the cliff thing is it? Because if it is I won't take it. I want to stand beside you as an equal, not a pretty accessory for you to take care of. We'll help each other in times of need, because one day I may the one in need of rescuing."

"Why do you have to be so difficult? It's just a simple ring. Do you want it or not?"

Rinoa shrugged. "I kind of thought it would look better on you." She said mockingly.

He looked disgusted and turned to leave when she suddenly caught him.

"I was just joking, Squall. I'll take it. I'll take it. Hand it over, the evil sorceress wills it so."

Looking completely vexed still, he tugged the ring off his finger. She felt like she was a robber baron asking him to give up his wallet instead of a lady being offered a token of affection. Then she remembered that this was Squall she was with. He was probably absent from class the day Garden had the lesson on courtship and chivalry. All of which wasn't necessarily a bad thing since she had spent the last year with the one who knew enough about the ways of the opposite sex to fill the deep sea research center with books.

Taking the ring from him, her bare finger tips brushed against the soft firm tips of his leather gloves. It sparked a traitorous longing in her chest as she began to wonder how it would feel to have those leather clad hands on her skin. But she turned her mind away and began to concentrate on more innocent thoughts.

She chuckled as she admired the ring and the intricate carvings on it.

"What is it? Is it a lion?"

"Yeah, lions are known for their great strength and pride. I call it Griever."

"Great strength and pride kinda like you, Squall."

Rinoa tried to fit it on her finger but found that it was far too large. She unclasped the necklace around her throat and slide the ring in beside her mother's wedding band. The two rings clicked against each other happily. As she looked down upon them she felt a stab of guilt. Both were given to her in a gesture of good faith, of hope. They simmered against her filth stained skin, glittering like two north stars.

"Let's go, Rinoa." he said as he began to walk in the direction of the entrance.

Reluctantly, she followed.

**ooooo**

"Rinoa! Squall! You're okay!" Selphie yelled in glee as she rushed over and hugged them both.

"Rinoa!" Antha exclaimed as she came over as well. Squall eyed her disapprovingly.

"Isn't this a mission for SeeDs only?" he asked under his breath.

"Yeah," Irvine said. "Chicken wuss brought her."

"Why you!"Zell hollered and jerked his fists up in a fighting stance but was calmed by Antha as she placed her hands on his shoulders. She hid behind him, fearing the wrath of the SeeDs. "I wasn't about to leave her there where all the fighting was. Don't you guys worry about her. Antha can hold her own ground right?"

Antha nodded shyly. "I'm a SeeD candidate."

Squall knitted his brows. "This isn't a game."

"Hey Squall! C'mon," Zell said. "You're bringing a sorceress, I'm bringing a future SeeD, what's the big deal?"

A look of fury crossed Squall's face as he turned and walked away.

"Now look at what you did!" Irvine said as he slapped Zell in the back of the head. "Squall's probably going to throw a hissy fit on us again."

Zell looked sheepish as he rubbed the back of his head. "As long as he doesn't faint."

**ooooo**

"Whatcha thinking Selphie?" Irvine asked as the small band moved through the lobby of Galbadia Garden. Selphie glanced around at the familiar surroundings about her. The group crept quietly through the Garden trying their best to avoid any lengthy battles.

"This is your home isn't it Irvy? How do you feel about all this?" Selphie asked.

"Well, Sefie," Irvine said, "I'm not too happy that we will be fighting matron. I think out of all of us my memories of her are the most vivid."

"But you need to put that aside. We can't fight her thinking she's matron."

Irvine's eyes traveled to Rinoa who was by Squall's side, she had always been by his side since Irvine had first seen her. Even Zell had found himself a lady as Antha walked hand in hand with him down the dark hallway. It was just he and Selphie who have yet to really discover love. He wished there was something he could do to make her believe that she wasn't just another pretty girl passing the length of his eye and then careening into oblivion the day after.

"Sefie, do you think maybe we could ya know. . . "

Selphie placed her nunchakus under one arm and scratched her arm.

"Pretend she's not matron?" Selphie asked. "Yeah that's a good idea. She's the evil sorceress now, not our matron anymore really. . . "

Irvine nodded and smiled, wondering how she could be so completely right and yet so completely misunderstanding at the same time.

**ooooo**

"She's up there," Rinoa whispered as they stood before the elevator to the right of the reception room. The group hesitated and they watched her. Rinoa frowned, understanding what was on each of their minds even though they did not say one word.

"I won't do anything stupid," Rinoa assured them. "As long as I am with you, all of my friends, I won't . . . ."

"It's okay Rinoa," Irvine said. "You don't need to say that, we already know." he rubbed his hands together. "Let's go get that sorceress now, what do ya guys say?"

"Yeah Irvy," Selphie said cheerfully. "Let's go get that meany."

Zell reached over and pressed the button for the elevator, while Antha held onto his other hand. Antha smiled nervously as she looked up.

"There's nothing for us to worry about. We've got Zell here with us. He's the best."

Zell blushed slightly, patting Antha on her shoulder affectionately.

The elevator door opened with a bing. The group filed in but Squall caught Rinoa's hand before she could follow.

"Are you sure, Rinoa, there isn't something you want to tell me?" he asked her. There was something in his voice, what was it? Suspicion?

She bit her lip. " . . .no. Nothing."

"Hey ya guys c'mon!" Zell yelled.

Squall gave her one last look before he stepped into the elevator. Rinoa crossed her right arm over her stomach and held her left one tightly.

The rings around her neck twinkled.

**ooooo**

The elevator door opened to a dark room, the only light came from behind the throne where the great witch sat. Beside her, was her white knight, who smiled in sadistic glee as the party stepped out of the elevator. Like a horde of lambs walking into a slaughterhouse, the band walked up to the demonic duo that sat across the small room.

"Oh you guys shouldn't have, " Seifer said, "I was gonna come visit you at my old home."he turned his eyes to Rinoa then who stood quietly, unobtrusively behind Squall.

"Ah, I see you have brought the black mercenary back, Angel. Well done Rinoa, you've just won the award for the most obnoxious backstabbing twit on the western continent."

"Shut up, Seifer!" Zell suddenly exclaimed.

"Why look it's the chicken shit. Looks like all of my old friends are here. I have a playmate for you and your friends." Seifer smiled as there came a sudden growl from the shadows. A monster with three heads appeared in the light. Antha screamed and ducked behind Zell. Looking over at Rinoa, Zell saw her firmly holding her ground.

"It's my guardian force, Cerberus, he's rather fond of thunder. Why don't you show them a few of your tricks, Cerberus?" Seifer said in a mocking tone.

Zell backed away as Cerberus suddenly lunged forward. Squall was about to go to his aid when Seifer attacked him.

"Would you like to see my new move Squall?" Seifer asked as he spun around sending a whirlwind of white wind shooting out of his gunblade. Rinoa raised her arm preparing to fight beside Squall when Edea suddenly caught her off guard with Maelstrom. It send Rinoa pivoting backwards and left her flat on her back. Squall raised his gunblade and blocked Seifer's attack, narrowly escaping the powerful Demon Slice.

Antha and Zell backed away from Cerberus as Irvine began to pump it full of bullets. Only a slight discomfort for such a powerful GF, Cerberus tripled himself and used thundaga.

"Show me what you've got!" Cerberus suddenly exclaimed from the head in the center.

"Dammit! It can talk?" Irvine said as he continue to riddle the thing with bullets.

Squall stashed Seifer across the chest with his gunblade drawing a shallow wound but it infuriated Seifer as he countered with a storm of blows.

Catching Seifer in a state of sloppy rage, Squall in a series of well timed attacks, managed to throw the blond warrior off his feet. Squall pricked Seifer in the throat with the end of his blade, seeing the battle was won until he heard something behind him.

"I see into your heart now, Rinoa and you are no longer mine. What is not mine must be destroyed."

"Noo! Edea please!" Rinoa screamed in fear as she brought her hands up to her face.

Edea had her right arm raised and floating above her fingertips was a huge icicle. There was no expression on Edea face as she launched the deadly glacier straight into Rinoa's chest. It impaled the dark haired sorceress and sent her careening across the floor, coming to a stop in a limp pile as she collided against the wall. Edea smiled suddenly.

"Odious traitor, adulterous wench, your weakness for mortal love was always your fatal flaw."

Squall ignored Seifer as he glared at Rinoa's limp body. The sorceress laughed her evil crackle as the floor opened and swallowed her up. Seifer disappeared into the shadows as he retreated. Cerberus vanished as well when his master abandoned the battle.

Selphie reached over to Rinoa's face and slapped her gently.

"Squall," Selphie said looking up sadly, "something is wrong, she's not waking up."

**ooooo**

Cid stood on the outskirts of Galbadia Garden when he saw the small party emerge from the entrance. The fog over the forest had settled after the long arduous battle. He had stood there anxiously awaiting the news of his wife and of his students for what seemed like hours. He rushed over to them as he caught sight of the band of warriors, returning from the battlefield.

As Cid came closer he saw Rinoa in Squall's arms. She laid unmoving, limp and still.

"Is she dead?" Cid asked as he looked at Squall's stone features.

"The sorceress got away," Squall reported with no emotion in his voice. "We failed." Holding Rinoa still he turned from the headmaster and began to walk away. Cid scanned the faces of his group members and saw them all look away as though not one of them knew what to say. Cid reached over and grabbed Squall's arm once more.

"Listen Squall, don't worry about the sorceress Edea we have more important matters to tend to. The sorceress Quistis is seeking out Ellone. We need to stop her."

Squall chuckled under his breath in a sound brimming with bitterness. "I don't even know where Ellone is. You won't even trust me with that. Well, if Quistis wants Ellone let her have Ellone. I don't give a damn."

"Get a hold of yourself Squall!" Cid said as he reached out to the boy. "Listen Squall, if Quistis gets her hands on Ellone there will be devastating consequences. You need to find Ellone then you must defeat Quistis. Only you can do this, only you alone."

Squall kept his eyes on Rinoa's serene face as he stood in silent contemplation.

"Leave me alone, headmaster. I never asked to have the burden of a world on my shoulders."

"Squall!" Cid yelled as he glanced down at Rinoa's sleeping form. "Squall," he said changing his tone. "Take her, Rinoa Heartilly, to Ellone, maybe Ellone can do something for her, change the past, undo whatever was done to her." After a moment of silence Cid spoke up again, in a grave remorseful tone, "I was wrong about the girl, Squall, Xu told me about how she came to your rescue when you were in trouble. I guess I misjudged her. Take her to Ellone, I'm sure things will turn out for the best."

After a period of perfect silence, finally Squall gave in.

"I'll take her to Ellone."


	14. chapter13

Chapter 13 - Requiem

"The only way into Esthar is through FH which is where we are now," Xu explained as they stood in the headmaster's office. "Since Ellone is in space, you need to pass through Esthar to get to the Lunar Gate, only there will you be able to get to the space station."

"Whose bright idea was it to send Ellone into space?" Irvine asked.

"Well," Cid said. "It seemed right at the time. Since the sorceress controlled Galbadia it seemed that the safest place to keep her would be somewhere off this planet."

"Dr. Odine agreed with us then but now .. . his superiors are putting pressure on him . ." Xu said.

"Pressure is not exactly the right word for it. But anyway, you need to get Ellone back to Garden so we can discuss our next course of action. But before then, Squall, you need to lead a small force to find Edea. She and Seifer were last seen on their way to Esthar. Should they make it to their destination, it could result in a complete collapse of our plan." Cid said.

Squall crossed his arms. "Why me? I don't understand."

"Well," Cid said. "You were the only one who could handle Seifer."

Squall looked away.

"Squall?" Cid asked.

Ignoring him, Squall walked out of the room. Cid shook his head.

"Should I go after him?" Xu asked.

"No," Cid said. "I'm sure he'll come around once we leave him alone for a while."

**ooooo**

Squall stepped into the infirmary where Rinoa laid on the bed, her hands clasped on her chest as though she had shut her eyes to pray. Squall bent down beside her and watched her still form when a image flashed across his mind.

Flower petals brushed by his cheek across the Winhill bluff.

_Don't ever forget_

A glimpse of a pair of caramel eyes, red with tears.

_what__ I show you now_

Black hair as slick as an eel lifted and fluttered in the wind.

_or__ it will end the same_

Sobbing in the distance. Someone was crying out his name.

_horrible__ way for you too._

But what had she shown him? He couldn't remember and if he didn't ever remember then would he now be walking straight into that same tragic end which she had so passionately warned him against?

_Rinoa__, I need to hear your voice._

_I want to tell you about Winhill. About what happened fifteen years ago. This is a burden I can no longer bear alone._

Squall reached out and unclasped her hands from their place on her chest. For a moment he sat there in a daze and relished the irony that the first time he reached to hold her hand she could no longer hold his back. In an act of complete impulse he pulled her limp body to his side and placed her on his back.

_Let's go Rinoa. Ellone will bring us together again_.

He placed his hands under her thighs and supported her weight there. Her breasts pressed against his back as her chin found its place at the base of his neck. Her arms draped over his shoulders and her legs dangled at his side. He walked out of the Infirmary, avoiding the eyes of curious spectators as he made his way to the elevator. Her cheek brushed against his as he walked, warm and fleecy, as though she was nuzzling up against him in a lover's embrace.

Yet with every step he took, Squall realized that he was wandering farther and farther from his former ideal of goodness. Rinoa's loyalty might not have been completely sincere but in the end she was not the only one who wore a mask. It came to him, clearer and clearer as he walked that he was not the hero they took him to be. For so many years he had hid under a guise of goodness but in the end all it was, was a guise. Evil, blacker and thicker than hers lurked under the surface of his stony facade. Evil that was now about to be realized for the sake of selfish need.

_To all those who are counting on me, I'm sorry._

When he stepped out of the elevator onto the second floor there were no more people. He was alone with his thoughts now, which could be more fearful than even the gossiping of the Garden students. For the last time he was disobeying Cid's orders. As a result of his actions there was a chance the world might be destroyed. It was a heavy decision that he made today, one which he had not decided based on careful thought but on sudden impulse.

The only sound was that of his heels clicking against the pastel floor and the gentle tap of her heel brushing against the side of his leg. He grew more resolved as he stepped out of Garden and into FH. What did the world mean to him anyway? He had no motive to save the blasphemous planet. Everything worth saving was either dead or dying. His mother, father, Quistis, Rinoa, not one of them would benefit from the living world should he succeed. Let the soldier with both parents, with the girl he loved waiting by his side, stretch his neck under the guillotine of heroism.

Meanwhile, on the other side of FH, Squall stepped onto the abandoned railroad. Cid's voice hung in his ear but he did not care. Like annoying fruit flies, he swatted them away. The world was full of problems and Cid's were but another sigh in the sea of groans. He would not be burdened with the world's troubles any longer.

"It's a bit far but we'll make it," Squall whispered into Rinoa's ear as he grew more resolved with each passing step. One day, not long from now, he wouldn't be alone anymore. For the first time in a long time, he began to hope for something better.

"Squall," someone called out behind him.

Squall turned, feeling Rinoa's legs swinging through the air at the sudden motion . She was truly nothing more than a ragged doll.

Xu took a few steps forward and clasped her hands in front of her.

"Are you leaving, Squall? Just like Seifer?"

"Why are you here Xu?" Squall asked suspiciously as he shifted Rinoa's weight on his back. He could feel her heart beating faintly as she pressed so tightly against him, as though she was secretly willing him to keep walking.

"I want to talk to you, Squall," Xu said. "Listen why don't you put her down and talk with me for a moment. We served together in SeeD for so long but you never said anything to me. There are things I've always wanted to tell you and I think this may be our last chance."

"I'm not going to stay for long," Squall replied bluntly.

"Squall, we've served on countless missions together. Like everyone else, I've always admired you, had faith in you. Now because I care, I just want you to think about what you are doing. If you walk out on Garden now there is a chance that you may never be allowed to return."

"There is nothing left here for me, Xu," Squall said as his tone grew slightly less malicious. "Garden has always been for me, just a means to an end."

"And this is the end?" Xu asked, desperately trying to win him back over. "Her? The sorceress? You should put some thought into this, Squall. We are all young and reckless at times. Squall, remember all the work we all put into Garden ."

"Go back to Cid, Xu," Squall replied curtly as he turned to leave.

Xu turned red as she suddenly grabbed his arm in anger.

"Why do you all say that? Cid, he is the headmaster, why is my loyalty to him so queer and strange to all of you? I want an answer from you Squall, now, because I know you."

"Know me?" he asked on the brink of fury.

She drew back in surprise and quickly rephrased her words.

"I know that you will not lie to me to protect my feelings. I want to know, now Squall. If you are going to abandon me at least give me this parting gift."

"Xu," Squall said, as he felt Rinoa's hair brushing against the back of his neck from the ocean's wind. It was comforting to have her here on his back. It was almost as though she was still standing behind him, ready, should he ever need her. Suddenly he was more resolved than ever to go to the Lunar Gate and this conversation with Xu was rapidly wearing down his patience.

"Xu, your loyalty to Cid is beyond what most of us would consider normal. What motive you may have for it I don't condemn because I've never cared."

Xu's lip trembled slightly. "I never had a father Squall. Cid was so kind to me. I wanted so badly for someone to love me but I was so afraid of falling in love with a man, a equal. I just wanted a father to stand over me and protect me from the rain. Do you understand Squall?"

Silence.

"How do you manage Squall? Don't you ever wish you could find a substitute for the father you lost? Just as a confirmation that you can be loved. Our ideas of love between two equals stems from our impressions of that which our parents had with each other. I just needed to find a father who loved his wife unconditionally so that perhaps, I could believe that there was still such a thing as love. I wish you would say something Squall, anything at all."

"We all have our own problems, Xu." Squall replied finally. "I'm not the one for you to confide in."

Squall turned about and left. This time, Xu did not bid him to stay. She sat down beside the rail and stared blankly at the ocean, unable to believe that she had just tried to pour her heart out to him. But only then as she watched the salty sea ripple blue and green under the midday sun did she realize that it was all true.

She did not cry.

It was simply the way things were.

Getting up, Xu ran her sleeve over her eyes. They were wet. But she did not cry. Crying was for the weak, the feminine, the helpless. She was a SeeD. Her eyes were wet, but they were not tears. Her chest was burning but it was not sorrow. Her throat ached but it was not pain. She turned around and walked back to Garden, hugging herself, slouching over in a unconscious gesture of withdrawal. She had failed in her mission, Squall had gotten away, just like Seifer. The two most promising students of Garden both gone over to the other side. What a tragic irony. Garden did not only train SeeDs to fight sorceresses, it also trained knights to defend them.

Watching the sorceress Rinoa in Squall's arms she felt pity for him, for his sad delusion. It was not with envy which she felt this sensation in her chest, but sympathy. Not envy, not at all. That he had found the confirmation which she could not. That he had a purpose to his life whereas she had none. That he fought for a cause while she was the commander of dreamy nothingness.

She did not cry, did not feel anything, it was just a mission failed.

Really.

She felt nothing at all.

Reaching up, Xu wiped the warm salt water from her cheeks once more.

See? No tears.

**ooooo**

"They're gone!" Zell exclaimed as the small party entered Cid's office.

"Rinoa and Squall! both of them, kapoosh," Irvine said with a snap of his fingers.

Cid looked down and shook his head.

"I never thought that_ he_ would attempt something like this." Cid said with remorse.

"Should we go after them?" Zell asked. "C'mon we'd better hurry."

"No," Cid said. "He's taking her to the Lunar Base but they'll never make it to the space station. I am sure of it. There is no time for us to talk to Squall. Zell, take Irvine and Selphie to Esthar and defeat Seifer and Edea. Please, there is no time."

"Esthar?" Zell asked. "But it's like the 'silent country' no one has been in Esthar from the outside in ages."

"Yes yes," Cid said hastily. "But you'll find a way in, I'm sure. It's supposed to be huge."

Xu walked in then, slowly, as though she had been turned into wood.

"Hey Xu," Zell asked. "You okay? You look like you've been crying."

Xu turned to Cid.

"They got away, Squall and Rinoa. I couldn't stop him . .I failed."

Cid frowned and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong Xu? Did someone say something cruel to you?"

Xu shook her head, vigorously. "No, I failed. . the mission .. .I'm a failure.. . that's all."

Cid hugged her than, the way a father embraces a grieving daughter.

"It's okay," he promised. "It's okay, my dear."

**ooooo**

Rinoa felt the sun on her face as Edea's spell began to weaken. The effects came and went, leaving her drifting in and out of sleep. Her limbs slept deeply, unmoving in a deathlike state, but her mind came and went. Dreams came, good and bad, drifting by her as she sailed past on the black river of unconsciousness. She heard his voice speaking to her as they walked, sometimes. The journey was long and she wondered where they were going, if he was really taking her where she needed to go. Yet somehow she didn't care.

At one point she felt the ground under her and the wind brushing past her throat. She was no longer on his back but that too was fine, although it was aberrant. For a moment she wondered if he had abandoned her, here, on some forsaken nomad's highway but soon it became clear that he was still nearby. Her head fell against the wall he had propped her against and she felt herself drifting beneath the dark sea once more. His voice came then, like light permeating her murky waters, a soft sound devoid of cynicism and malice.

"To tell you the truth I worry too much about what others think of me," he began. "I hate that side of myself."

Her wandering mind embraced his words, exploring every crease and crevasse. Her catatonic mind folded, tasted, pinched and pushed away the gentle sound that entered her ear. On the dark stage of her psyche, tingling with laced colors his words danced and bid her to follow. Through the bottomless sea his expressions brought her back and bid her to respond.

_Squall,__ even through your joy I see your pain. I know that if I betray you this time, there will be no going back . . .because some things when broken, can never be whole again._

"Squall is an unfriendly introverted guy," he went on pouring out his heart to her, an adulterous wench, odious traitor, a sorceress incapable of mortal love.

_You may be unfriendly Squall, but I am the Angel of Death, of destruction, of despair._ _I am Rinoa Heartilly_,_ red eyed monster in the forest, the thing that goes bump in the night, the vampire with the long fangs_

Rinoa felt her fingers ripple the silky surface of her black ocean. Her mind evaporated into the sky and was one with the rays of the sun. She wanted to go back into the recesses of her mind where her mother still sat at her piano and her father at his study. It was morning there, the smell of rose and wine in the air, where father's newspaper crinkled as he muttered under his breath about 'those damned rebels.' But Squall's voice pierced her illusion dragging her back into the present.

."It made it easy for me when people perceived me that way." He continued quietly.

_How will you perceive me, Squall? When I betray you this time? Will you hate me when you finally see who I am behind my mask? Or worse yet, will you hate yourself for putting your sacred trust in me? Don't hate yourself Squall, I won't be able to live knowing that I shoved you back into the dark night for the last time._

"That's just a secret between you and me, got it?" He asked her.

_Yes, just between you and me, my secret and yours._

**ooooo**

"Zell! Look what you did!"Selphie exclaimed as she pointed at the sky. "You made a hole in the air."

"Whoa!" Irvine said as he scratched his head. "She's right Zell, how the hell did you do that?"

"Shut up!" Zell yelled, face reddening in embarrassment and fury. "I just reached over like this and - whoa!" Zell jumped back as a ladder suddenly flashed.

"There's something there," Antha muttered as she stepped forward and touched the same place Zell just had. A ladder to the hole in the sky appeared.

"Cool," Irvine said. "But where does it lead?"

"Well," Selphie said. "Since there is wasteland in front of us, in back of us, to the right of us . ."

"Okay! Okay!" Irvine exclaimed, shutting her up. "Let's climb the darn ladder already."

The group climbed the ladder and walked down the dark hallway. As they came out the other end a huge city appeared where the wasteland once was. It was the silent country, concealed cleverly by their advanced technology. However, by a stroke of luck, the group had stumbled upon it and thus revealed it to the world.

Looking over the huge city in awe, the four members stood frozen in place.

"How are we going to find Edea and Seifer here?" Irvine asked in disgust. "It will take forever!"

A futuristic ship suddenly appeared before them and an Estharian guard stepped out.

"You four will have to come with us," he stated.

**ooooo**

"Vat?" Odine asked. "You vant me to let ze boy and ze girl into space?"

Odine stood in the presidential office where the ruler of Esthar dwelled.

"Yes," her voice came from behind her seat near the window overlooking Esthar. "Let the sorceress Rinoa and her escort into space." Beside her right hand, a whip laid coiled upon her desk.

"I do not understand. If ze sorceress Rinoa gets to Ellone our plan . . . ."

"Silence!" Her voice came sharply. "You will do as I say, Odine."

Odine, scared speechless, nodded and left. As the door closed, the queen turned from her seat and stood up. She walked across the room to the set of security cameras hidden nicely by the folds of her wood cabinet. A smile grew across her lips as she tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear. Reaching up to the small screen she traced the fuzzy figure of Rinoa as she was carried into the Lunar Gate on the back of a dark haired boy.

"Sorceress Rinoa," the queen whispered. "Finally, I have you."

**ooooo**

Seifer watched his reflection in the window as he examined the large pastel city underneath him.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he whispered under his breath. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Edea sitting there with her eyes closed in quiet meditation.

"Who does he think he is keeping the sorceress Edea waiting?" Seifer muttered once more out of boredom and anger.

"A powerful sorceress," Edea replied. Seifer lifted his eyebrow in shock. He had not expected an answer.

"But you are the most powerful sorceress of all," Seifer replied.

"No," Edea said. "In my time I am the most powerful but here I am at the mercy of the sorceresses I inhabit. The weak ones come without a fight but the more powerful ones I can only possess with the permission of the possessed."

"So this president is the one you want to possess?" Seifer asked.

Edea chuckled. "Obedient knight, you must not ask too many questions."

"I don't understand," Seifer said as he turned from the window. "Why do we need his help? Rinoa will bring Ellone to us. What else is there to the plan?"

Edea opened her eyes and watched him. "Rinoa's loyalty may not last as long as you may believe."

"So why do you keep her around?" Seifer asked throwing his hands up. "Why make her your most prized companion when her loyalty is not sincere:

"Because," Edea said. "Rinoa has my power. The power which I possess in my time. I passed it onto her fifteen years ago. Fifteen years ago the mortal Rinoa defeated me with a boy named Loire. Rinoa's loyalty will only last until she finds this boy. Then I will no longer be able to control her."

Seifer chuckled. "What about Squall? So she will betray him too for this Loire boy?"

"As long as Squall Leonhart holds her interest she poses no threat to me. Or you for that matter." Edea said mockingly as though she knew Seifer no longer held Rinoa's heart.

"I don't understand, if this Loire kid is so dangerous why don't you find him and kill him?" Seifer asked.

"Why should I when he will show himself to Rinoa eventually?" Edea asked wearily. "What I know of the past I saw in her mind in Deling. I know no more, no less."

The door of the reception room opened suddenly and Seifer turned excepting to see a middle aged man walk in but to his surprise it was a girl, hardly older than himself. She wore a frown on her face as she walked in with two attendants. Edea stood up and nodded at her in greeting.

"The sorceress Quistis, a pleasure."

_Quistis_. Seifer could have sworn he had heard the name before . . somewhere.

Quistis eyed Edea with a mixture of contempt and haughtiness. She waved her hand and the attendants left her.

"You come seeking my help, Edea. It is not of my concern what your position in Deling is. I give my aid only to those whom I choose. This is my country, we are a peaceful people, we wish no alliance or conflict with Galbadia so state your mission and depart."

Edea frowned. She had not expected Quistis to be so hostile. The sorceress Rinoa had been easier to convert to her side.

"It is my understanding that a girl named Ellone is in your custody."

Quistis did not respond. She crossed her arms and was silent.

"That is not information which I can freely voice." Quistis said after a few moments.

"No," Edea said. "I know this for a fact. Thirteen years ago Adel unleashed a massive hunt for young girls in search of a successor. You were the successor she found but against Ellone you will always harbor a grudge because she was the one Adel really wanted."

"No," Quistis whispered bitterly. "You are wrong there Edea. I never wanted to be a sorceress. I do not begrudge Ellone. I will never allow her to fall into the hands of the likes of you. Although we are both sorceresses and we share a bond of amity, in my eyes my people come first and foremost. I will not allow you to have a weapon that will threaten the safety of those I rule over!"

Edea stared at Quistis with complete speechlessness. Finally her shock turned to malice as she began to speak once more.

"If you do not comply I shall destroy you and those you rule over when the time comes. You are a traitor to your own kind, Quistis. Adel was ten times the sorceress you are."

Quistis glared at Edea, her eyes flashing yellow but Edea was not frightened.

"Is that a threat Edea? Destroy me? With what? Your pathetic lapdog Rinoa Heartilly? I will crush her under my little finger. So send her if you wish. I will send her back to you in a urn."

"No," Edea whispered. "Rinoa Heartilly is nothing compared to the powers I shall use against you. Just wait, Quistis, you will be begging on your knees when your end comes."

Quistis threw back her head and laughed. She turned to the door where her attendants were waiting.

"Escort the sorceress Edea and her knight out of Esthar," she ordered. "Make sure they stay out."

**ooooo**

Quistis held her coiled whip at her side as she walked into her office. Sitting down at her desk, her attendant walked in. It was a Trepie, the nickname for one of those who were allowed in the presence of the President.

"Your Majesty," Daniel said bowing, "the bombs you ordered us to plant on Lunar space station number 1 are ready. The control panel has been activated. The sorceress Rinoa will be arriving on the station shortly."

Quistis sat down at her desk and nodded. She spun around and looked over Esthar. For a decade she had been hunting down powerful sorceresses and bringing about either a suppression of their powers or death if noncompliance was too great. Rinoa Heartilly had eluded her until a year ago when she became a menace to the world as Edea's assassin. As much as Quistis never planned to ally herself with the likes of the sorceress Edea, the sorceress's threats were not to be taken lightly. Her worries would be quieted after she eliminated Rinoa Heartilly and Ellone. Quistis nodded at her Trepie.

"Good work. Make sure our borders are protected from Galbadian attack should the sorceress become hostile. I will come to the control room as soon as Rinoa Heartilly boards the space station."

"Your Majesty, there are a group of SeeDs here .. from Garden. They are looking for the sorceress Edea."

Quistis frowned. "SeeDs? Well we might have some uses for them later. Occupy their time until the operation is over. If something goes wrong we might just need them."

Quistis folded her arms over her chest and pressed her back into the leather of her seat.

_You are a traitor to your own kind_.

Over the years she had made similar accusations to herself in her solitude yet now as she looked over Esthar, her grand empire, those words were but dim echoes in the recesses of her mind. She wondered what Adel would do, if she would have made a similar choice. But as she mulled over that scenario, Quistis realized that she could never be Adel. All that mattered right now were her people, they were like her children whom she had to shield from harm. Great powers are useless if they are used to contribute to death and destruction. No we have missiles and guns to kill just fine already, we don't need sorceresses to contribute to it.

Since she had received them, Quistis has used her abilities to help, heal and comfort. She wandered among her people in disguise so often, secretly rewarding the noble and helping the sick that she had been nicknamed the silent queen. Queen Quistis, the silent monarch of the silent country. It was fitting.

Yet Quistis always knew that deep within her laid an awesome potential for complete devastation. It was that part of herself that she channeled into this great hunt for sorceresses. She was no longer the silent queen as she flew over the shadow cloaked landscape in pursuit of the witches with wild hair that plagued others with suffering. She was something else - the red scorpion. She did not appreciate the nickname but like the silent queen, it stuck. They called her that for the way her rose colored dress appeared scarlet as she chased in hot pursuit and sometimes, how the blood of the dead witch dripped onto her dress coloring it red. It was hard to imagine sometimes as she killed that she was still the kind hearted Queen Quistis, the one that attended weddings and clapped as the newly wed couple danced the waltz, the one that placed flower garlands on the heads of angelic babies, the one that guarded her empire with increasing passion year by year.

No one in the empire admitted to knowing the features of her face yet every citizen knew her form. They knew it was her when a hand reached out in the winter frost to satisfy the needy, when a mysterious stranger stopped to sit beside the downcast, when a compassionate woman bent down beside an orphan child and asked him if he missed his mother.

Sometimes during celebrations she could be recognized by the coiled whip she carried at her side. The slave driving tyrant, she jokingly called herself yet that whip would decay from lack of use if she did not use it to dance. Sometimes, her citizens would humor her at parties as they begged the mysterious lady in red to step onto the stage and perform a ribbon dance with her slaying tail. With a blush on her face, the queen happily stepped into the spotlight and twirled with her swirling leather strip.

"Look at the talented young whipper snapper," the old men joked secretly knowing behind their twinkling eyes that it was the queen that entertained them.

To which other old men would reply,

"Kids these days. Got too much free time on their hands." then all the elders would burst out laughing at their secret joke as the rest of the audience shouted for an encore, to which Quistis usually agreed until she grew so weary she begged the audience to give another talented youngster a chance. As she stepped off the stage young teen boys, high on puppy love, always swamped her with roses. She made their hearts flutter in their chests as they laid their fond eyes upon the exquisite young queen. Although they would never break the unspoken pact shared by every citizen in the country and identify her as the queen, they always sent the roses out to 'her majesty' and signed it 'a closet Trepie always, love John' or Simon or Seymour.

To say that Quistis was loved by her people was the understatement of the century. Her wisdom, compassion, fairness was elevated to a godlike status as she played the role of a mother, mentor, idol, daughter, savior for every man women and child in her country. All of which she did if not in person then in symbol.

Yet today she was not the silent queen, she was the red scorpion. Her face was lit up by the eerie blue reflection of the monitor of her spying camera as she watched the launcher from Lunar Gate shoot the bullet shaped capsules up to the Lunar base. The sorceress Rinoa and Ellone were together, a push of a button and they would both perish. Two ogres taken down by one explosion. The silent queen's people would sleep through one more epic battle for their well being.

"The sorceress Rinoa has entered the Lunar base, your majesty." a Trepie informed her respectfully.

Quistis waved her hand, dismissing him.

"I'm coming,"

**ooooo**

Squall Leonhart stirred as he began to wake from deep sleep. There was a light on somewhere, he turned over to reach for his jacket when he realized suddenly that he was not in his bed in the garden dorm. With a sudden surge of embarrassment he bolted upright and squinted in the bright room. It was the Lunar base, or so it seemed.

"You are awake, Mr Leonhart," someone said happily.

Squall turned his eyes, adjusting to the light as he saw a blond man in a white lab coat standing at the entrance of the room. The man smiled warmly and knelt down beside Rinoa who laid on her side, hair open behind her like a fan as she slept soundly on the cold floor.

"Wow she's a cute one. Young too. How old is she seventeen?" The man asked, "by the way, my name is Piet, this is the Lunar Dock."

Squall got to his feet feeling a bit woozy from the unnatural sleep. He gruffly picked Rinoa up and placed her on his back once more.

"Don't touch her," he ordered Pete or whatever his name was.

"Alright alright," Piet said in exasperation. "So possessive. Well come this way, the Med Lab is this way."

**ooooo**

"The escape pods have been sealed." the young attendant informed Quistis as he gestured to the control panel. On the monitor was a display of cameras showing different angles of every inch of the Lunar pod. Quistis sat down and placed her whip by her side. She turned her eyes to the monitors, the one of the med lab catching her eye. She saw Rinoa Heartilly being placed in the casket like bed where she laid unmoving. The girl was young, Quistis noticed, almost the same age as herself.

"When you give the order, we'll detonate the bombs," the attendant continued. "There will be a half an hour countdown before the space station is blown to smithereens. There is no possibility of escape."

Quistis nodded as she sat back. She knew that if she wanted to give the order now would be the time. But there was something nagging her at the edge of her mind.

"Daniel," she said quietly. "What is the minimum number of people needed in the station for us to complete our plan?"

"Five," Daniel said. "But surely -"

"Evacuate all but five," Quistis ordered.

"But-" Daniel said.

"Do it."

Daniel nodded and left to report the latest update on her orders.

Quistis watched the screen wondering which five pitiful souls would be the ones to go down with the sorceress. Her eyes lingered on the face of the sorceress's dark haired escort. Was he the sorceress's knight? She wondered. He looked familiar yet she couldn't quite put her finger on where she had seen him before. She drew her eyes away and watched Rinoa some more.

_Sorceress, you have only a few moments left to live._

**ooooo**

Squall reluctantly left Rinoa in the Med Lab and he wandered through the space station, up the stairs to find Ellone. The space station, for some odd reason, had an amazingly spare number of personnel aboard.

"She's at the end of the hall, last room." one of the technicians told him as he gestured to the large sliding doors.

Squall nodded and continued to walk. He wondered if there was something he should say to Ellone. Something that a normal tactful person would say. Something that showed her that he was not full of malice

Anything he held in his mind vanished as he caught sight of Ellone sitting by her bed, green shawl wrapped around her bare shoulders, looking completely forlorn. He took a loud step so that she would notice that he was here.

"Squall," she said with a bittersweet smile. "I had no idea that you would come."

Squall shrugged nonchalantly, brushing off the greeting.

"Ellone, there is someone I want you to meet." He began, regurgitating the words like glass shards. "Perhaps you could be of some help."

"It's Rinoa Heartilly isn't it?" Ellone asked. "You brought her here so I could change the past and bring her back to you. You don't have to say anything, I know it all. Cid told me."

Squall scowled yet he kept his fury in check.

"Squall," Ellone began again. " I know you feel animosity for what the world did to you but is this the only way for you to find your peace?"

"Will you do it or not Ellone?" Squall snapped. "We are not here to study my motives. I'm just here to ask a favor, if you refuse, I will leave. Don't make it more complicated than it is already."

"Squall!" Ellone scolded. "Don't do this to me. You always leave me in the dark when it comes to your emotions. I just want to understand. Please. Does this have to do with Qusitis, Raine, Laguna? I just want to know."

Squall stood rigidly with his arms across his chest. All vows of tact were forgotten as he began to speak again.

"I'm not asking you to do anything Ellone. Just walk with me, down the stairs."

Ellone stood up and pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders.

Squall opened the door for her.

"I'm sure Ellone that if you just come with me, things will turn out alright. This has nothing to do with your morals."

Ellone watched him for a moment. What was it that she felt? Fear? Fear for what? Him or herself? Or maybe it was for the entire space station as something felt completely aberrant. As she walked down the abandoned dim hall, watching the stars float in the black soup outside the window, she felt as though she saw the reflection of the grim reaper looking back at her in the glass.

"Squall," she whispered in one last desperate attempt to get him to open up to her.

He ignored her as he walked swiftly ahead.

When they stepped off the stairs, Ellone heard someone behind her.

"Wait Squall, come over here for a moment," Piet beckoned.

Squall saw Piet standing stiffly at the door to the control room, a look of desperation on his face. What did they want now? Glancing at Ellone he motioned for her to follow.

As he stepped into the room he saw a look of fear across the faces of the five crew members present.

"This timer," one of them said, "it just started ticking. You're part of SeeD right? Can you deactivate it?"

Squall knitted his brows as he walked over to the timer. There was less than twenty minutes left on it. He glanced around the room.

"Are you sure you didn't activate this by accident?" he asked.

Piet nodded. "None of us have any idea what that timer is for. I would ask the captain of the station but he mysteriously disappeared a few moments ago. I'm sure it's nothing important .. Probably by the time it comes to zero some alarm would go off or something . .but."

"Well," Squall said. "If you are sure it is nothing then why are you wasting my time with it?" he asked with malice twisted in his voice. Yet looking at Piet's face Squall knew he suspected that it was more than nothing but frankly at the moment Squall couldn't care less. He wanted to bring Ellone to Rinoa. Even if the damned timer triggered a damned bomb he didn't really give a damn.

"Come on Ellone, let's go to Rinoa." he said motioning for her to leave.

But that was when someone answered.

"No Squall, it won't be necessary to come to me . . .because I've come to you." Rinoa stepped out from her place behind Ellone at the door. She reached over and grabbed Ellone and dug her fingernails into Ellone's neck.

Rinoa knew that she would never forget the look on Squall's face as she said those words. The other people in the room saw a boy falling back a few steps and his mouth opening in surprise. But not Rinoa. She saw something break within him. She saw this thin candle of hope she had so carefully lite within him, snuffed out and stomped on. It was over. Everything.

_You're the best looking guy here. Dance with me?_

"I'm sorry Squall," Rinoa whispered as she pulled Ellone back, backing towards an escape pod. She raised her palm and cast Blizzara on the crew members in the room. They screamed in pain as the ice froze them in place but Squall didn't make a sound. He just stood there as the ice snaked up his legs. Stood there, staring. Unable to understand what was happening before his eyes.

_Let me guess . . you will only dance with someone you like._

Rinoa felt tears of fury in her eyes. Stop it! Yell at me, curse at me, tell me that you despise me just stop looking at me that way. . .please stop. I can't stand it. She dug her fingers deeper into Ellone's soft neck, making her cry out in pain.

"If anyone tries to follow me they will die!" she declared in a loud voice. The crew members stared at her in fear as her eyes flashed yellow.

"A sorceress!" they gasped in terror.

Rinoa pulled Ellone onto the elevator to the escape pod. She looked at Squall only once more catching one last sight of his face. It was strange. He had exactly the same expression on his face that he had on the night of the dance, which was absolutely nothing. Complete blankness. Complete emptiness. Complete void.

_Look into my eyes_

Rinoa shoved Ellone onto her knees as the elevator descended into the depths of the base.

"Try to escape and I'll kill you, bitch." Rinoa admonished.

_You're going to like me. You're going to like me._

Rinoa grabbed Ellone by a handful of her hair and pulled her back onto her feet as the elevator came to her destination. She dragged Ellone across the room and threw her into one of the escape pods. Rinoa stepped in and pulled the lever for the door to fuse to a close and for the pod to be released into space. As they began to drift through the endless darkness, Rinoa knelt down and ripped open the control panel for the pod. She began to rewire the communication system so that her pod could not be tracked by the mother ship. Yet as she worked she began to cry. Large watery tears slid down her cheeks without permission. Oh how she hated herself for being so weak. She was a sorceress. Sorceresses don't cry. Wasn't it how the old story went that witches couldn't cry because the water would dissolve their flesh and kill them? She felt her tears burn into her cheeks now. Perhaps the old stories were true. Oh how she wished they were true.

_I can't dance._

"Rinoa," Ellone said with panic in her voice.

"Shut up!" Rinoa snapped. Yet as she looked at Ellone's face she saw a look of terror beyond comprehension. Rinoa turned her tear stained face to the window at the top of the pod where she could see the Lunar Space Station drifting peacefully.

Before her eyes, the mother ship exploded. It erupted in a fireball of colors as bright as the sun. Shrapnel scattered in every direction like in a ring of wheezing bullets. The Lunar Space station was nothing but glowing dust floating in space, now. All reduced to dazzling crystal shards that lingered in the darkness like tiny stars.

Squall, he was nothing more now than beautiful glitter.

_Come on, you'll be fine._

But he wasn't.

She had broken her promise. He would never be fine again.


	15. chapter14

Chapter 14 - Ophelia's River

"Twenty minutes and counting," Daniel said as Quistis studied the screen. She saw the expressions of confusion on the faces of the five crew members and felt like her heart was about to burst with guilt. What had those men done to deserve being sentenced to death? Yet the red scorpion did not care, it just wanted the blood of Rinoa Heartilly. The Silent Queen was the one that felt doubt. Quistis pressed her lips together and saw the dark haired boy run in with Ellone by his side. He walked across the room and examined the timer. He too would die, the familiar looking boy but she did not care so much about him. He was Rinoa's consort, Ellone's friend and on top of that he looked eerie.

"Turn on the sound, I want to hear what they are saying." Quistis said.

Daniel nodded and flicked the switch.

So let's hear what they say in the last moments of their lives.

"This timer, it just started ticking. You're part of SeeD right? Can you deactivate it?" The man's voice came over the speakers from the Lunar Space Station so far away.

Quistis reached over to her whip and squeezed it nervously in her hands. Her mind began to drift aimlessly. He was a SeeD huh? A SeeD and a sorceress, how particular. She had never seen a pair like that before. The seconds ticked by.

"Well," he said "If you are sure it is nothing then why are you wasting my time with it?" 

Quistis heard Daniel chuckle nervously at the irony of the statement. Daniel shook his head in sorrow. Quistis said nothing. Her eyes opened wide as she saw Rinoa Heartilly suddenly step into the room. Quistis nodded gently. _Yes, Rinoa, I want to see the look on your face when you die. But no matter how much pain you suffer it will never make up for all the innocent lives you took._

I'm sorry Squall, The sorceress said to her knight. "Hate me forever but don't hate yourself. Please." 

Quistis felt a pang of sorrow for Rinoa then, she did sound like a normal girl when she said .. . .. .Squall .. .Squall? Quistis jumped up suddenly. It hit her then, who he was and why he looked so familiar.

"Unseal the escape pods!" she ordered immediately.

"What?" Daniel asked breaking from his trance.

"DO IT NOW!" Quistis yelled. She turned around to look at the Trepies, technicians, and scientists in the room. "UNSEAL THE ESCAPE PODS!" she hollered. After a moment of hesitation, as they stared at their queen in bewilderment, everyone in the room exploded into life and began to do as she said.

Quistis turned back to the screen and prayed.

_Please Squall, get out of there, get out of there now._

**ooooo**

dreamworld

**ooooo**

Alive.

Was he alive?

He wasn't sure.

Looking down he saw grass beneath his feet. That perfume in the air of lilac and roses. But he wasn't supposed to be here. Something had happened a few moments ago. Rinoa . .she did something. . .something terrible. Yet at that moment standing on the bluffs he couldn't remember for the life of him . .what that was. Had she tried to kill him? No, it didn't seem right. Had she tried to kill herself? Maybe. . . Maybe . . .it was a thousand other possibilities but he was sure someone close to him had died.

The mist, it was so thick but it was getting better. Crying, there were a lot of people crying in the distance. He saw his mother suddenly, she was slowly getting to her feet. So slowly so painfully it was as though she had been turned into stone. Squall began to run towards her, as fast as his tiny legs would take him. He tripped midway but she didn't notice. He decided not to cry, today he had cried enough and she needed him to be strong for her . . . .because she had cried so much.

"Mama!" Squall said as he came close to her. He raised his arms.

_Pick me up. Hold me. What's wrong mama? Why are you so sad?_

She ignored him. He saw the general and Julia also getting up slowly from the ground where the three of them had been kneeling. The general looked up and he saw the little dark haired boy.

"You killed her," he hissed. His eyes filled with anger as though someone had lit a match behind them . "You, you little piece of shit." Although Squall did not understand what "shit" meant exactly he knew by the tone of the man that it was something awful. Suddenly the general violently reached out and tried to grab him.

Screaming in terror, Squall jumped behind his mother's legs. Raine glared at the general as she reached down and picked up her son.

"It's not his fault. Stop it you bastard. My son had nothing to do with your daughter's death!"

The general looked like he was about to attack Raine when Julia grabbed him.

"Stop," she whispered through her tears. "We've seen enough death for one day, stop please, no more."

The general's eyes were so wide with fury that they seemed to be on the verge of popping out of his head. "You little shit, that was my daughter you killed. How dare you doubt her? How dare you think for a second that she was not completely loyal to you? I'll tear you from limb to limb and feed you to my dogs!" the general jerked once more in Raine's direction as Julia held him still.

"Shut up!" Raine yelled from behind her tears. "Even if the fault is my son's you can't blame him for the sins of his future self. I'm sorry that your daughter is dead but remember that I too have just witnessed the death of my son!"

The general glared at Squall once more. "You, you worthless little bastard. She loved you more than life its self. She died for you. How could you live with that sin upon your shoulders?"

Raine reached up and tried to cover her son's ears but he heard. He stared spellbound at the general with tears in his eyes but he did not cry, he would be strong

The general spat upon the ground suddenly.

"Loire, I despise you, Loire. I will make sure to my dying day that my daughter never meets you and that she will NEVER, as long there is a breathe in my body, bestow upon you any of her sacred love." He grabbed the sleeping Rinoa from Julia's arms and left in a rage.

Julia looked at Raine and Squall sadly.

"Perhaps, Raine, it really is better should they never meet." Julia whispered as she turned and went after her husband.

As the two disappeared over the bluffs, Squall felt his mother press her forehead against his.

"Why Squall?" she asked gently choking as a new torrent of tears began to flow down her pale cheeks. "Why did you do it? Why did you doubt her? Why did you force your mother to watch you die? Squall, my dear, why?"

Squall reached over with his tiny hand and wiped away some of her tears.

"Please, mama stop. Please." he whispered, but she wouldn't.

It was then when he understood that he had done something monstrous.

Something which could never be forgiven.

**ooooo**

dreamworld end

**ooooo**

"I'm sorry Squall," a voice came out of the darkness. "I took you back in time again. You always take me back there for some reason Squall, when I am not directing our destination we always go there. Why?"

"I don't know . . but I think I'm beginning to understand," Squall replied in the darkness. He was on the brink of waking up. So close.

"I'm glad that you are alive. I was worried. Rinoa . . she went a bit hysterical when she saw the space station explode."

"Does she know that you are talking to me now Ellone? Can you try to talk her out of what she is doing?" Squall asked tentatively.

"It's too late Squall, she's not here anymore."

"What?" he asked. "Did she faint? What do you mean she's not there?"

"She found an emergency space suit, each of these pods have one. She took it and left. I think she went to end her life."

Silence.

"Squall?" Ellone asked. "Squall, I'm scared I'm floating through space all by myself. Will you come find me? I don't want to die."

Silence.

"Squall? Are you still there?" Ellone asked desperately.

"Take me to her Ellone," Squall whispered. "To the present. I want to speak to her."

"What? She betrayed you Squall. How could you even think of that?"

"Just do it Ellone. Please, just this once."

After a moment of indecisiveness, Ellone finally gave in.

"Alright, Squall, just this once."

Remaining Life Support: 15 sec

Space.

Some said that space was emptiness, the absence of matter.

Yet strangely as she drifted aimlessly through this void she had never felt more full. There were no choices to make in space. No one to betray, no one to find, no one to force yourself not to love.

Some said that life was nothing but chemical reactions that came from putting all the matter in order. What happens when those reactions stop, when let's say, you are scattered stardust. No more chemical reactions, no more order does that mean that there is no more life? No more Squall, he was dust in the wind.

Rinoa closed her eyes but it made no difference, darkness here, darkness outside. The only difference was that there were stars outside, tiny specks of light that really made no difference at all. Yet at that moment she wanted to keep her eyes open. As insignificant as these tiny particles were, she wanted to see them before her world was dark forevermore.

Remaining Life Support: 0 sec

The thought of dying with her eyes open terrified her. She would rather fall asleep and never wake up. But it was so cold here, and she was so scared. She did not want to run out of oxygen and drown in barren air. Floating in the black river of space, she would be a beautiful corpse with a raven colored garland around her head.

Life Support Has Terminated.

Rinoa closed her eyes peacefully and prepared herself for everlasting rest.

However she was not so lucky.

(Rinoa!)

A voice.

There were no voices in space. It came from inside her own head.

(Rinoa don't!)

_((What? Squall is that you? You're alive?))_

(Rinoa don't do this, please.)

It made her want to laugh suddenly he was alive! But she didn't. Laughing would probably use up too much air and she just might drop dead in mid chuckle.

((_I'm glad Squall, that you are alive. Why are you here?))_

(Why are you doing this? Is this about Ellone? I forgive you.)

_((Forgive me? Are you insane? I kidnaped your sister. I almost undid what your mother and father died for.))_

(I forgive you. Don't ask me about my motives.)

She was glad then, that she would die forgiven. But even if he could somehow by some miracle forgive her, she would never be able to forgive herself.

((_Goodbye Squall . . .I love you.))_

Rinoa closed her eyes and fell into space. In her quiet solitude she fell and fell, trying to ignore Squall's voice. Maybe death was just a bottomless black hole and you kept falling forever. Oh how I want to be beside you Squall. How I wish that were meant to be. Laguna Loire. Son of Laguna Loire. She tried to picture it in her head. Her thoughts were merging together like one big mess of strings.

_You two are bound together by destiny. .. . .We are all alone . . . You must promise me that you will find him. This is my last wish . . . .. . .If you don't tell me your name soon I'm going to make one up for you, . . . .This is no ordinary mission. . .. . .You're going to like me. You're going to like me.. . . .I met a boy. . .No, a kiss will do.. . he was wonderful. _. . ._Would you believe that I wanted to apologize for lying to you . . . What is it? Is it a lion_ . . .

Rinoa opened her eyes as she saw the double rings floating before her. Her eyes warmed with tears. Griever, the flaming head of a lion looked back at her. So here, before the empty space dotted by distance stars, Griever was to be her last sight.

_He carried a machine gun, had a strange fetish for monsters_. . . _Yeah, lions are known for their great strength and pride. I call it Griever._ . . ._He had some strange monster accessories . . .Great strength and pride kinda like you, Squall._ . .

(_(No_!)) Rinoa stared at the rings before and tears erupted from within her. She finally understood. ((_Squall .. . .Squall __Loire__. He was Squall __Loire__ not Squall Leonhart. . .Squall __Loire__ .. oh god_))

(Rinoa?) Squall's voice came once more and Rinoa realized that he had not yet left her.

She pressed the bottons at her throat and a new flood of oxygen came into her helmet. Like a famished vampire she drank up the sweet air.

((_You ..__ you are Squall __Loire__. You are the one my father wanted me to find .. it was you all along._))

Rinoa cried quietly and realized that she could not wipe the tears from her face.((_Oh god Squall, . . . Squall_?)) Rinoa searched her head for his voice but all she heard was silence. Was she wrong? What if he was not Squall Loire? What if .. . . .She fell into something then. . . something firm that stopped her eternal fall.

His arms. He turned her around holding her in his gentle embrace and she saw his face. It was a sight she thought she would never see again. She smiled at him and held onto his arms. Here, drifting together, death . . .surely they can't die together here. But she had no strength left in her.

_It's up to you Squall. I can't do anything . .anymore._

He turned her once more, holding her with one arm as she saw a flaming red spaceship careening towards them. She clung to him and the ship as they caught hold of it. She hung onto the smooth surface for her dear life but he tugged her along as he moved closer to the entrance. In a blur before her tear stained eyes, he pushed a series of bottons and the door slide open. He shoved her in first then went in after her.

In the air duct, they both removed their space suits.

"Thank you Squall," she said as they walked into the hallway of the spaceship. He glanced around looking for some sort of communication mechanism.

"Squall, why did you do it?" she asked. "Why did you come after me?"

He finally turned his eyes back at her, his regular look of annoyance on his brows. It made her smile. So things were back to normal. That blank look was gone, she just hoped that she would never have to see it again.

"There's no time for us to talk about that now. You want to get back to earth safely don't you?"

"Do you mean am I still suicidal? No, not really. You are Squall Loire aren't you?"

He winced at the name. "Yeah, my mother changed our names in a futile effort to elude the Estharian soldiers. My father was Laguna Loire. Your father told you to find me?"

"Yes, it was his last wish. Why do you sound so surprised?"

Squall looked away remembering the general's words. So he had gone back on his vow after all.

"Squall? Is there something you are keeping from me?"

"Yeah, there are a few things we need to find out later .. .about Winhill and what really happened fifteen years ago."

Rinoa nodded. "Alright. As for now let's go find some way to contact ground control."

**ooooo**

Quistis stood there at the control panel.

"There is still no sign of him?" she asked. "In any of the escape pods?"

"The last sighting was with Piet in the escape pod but after he left suddenly . .there has been no sign."

Quistis shook her head. "Shut up Daniel you are not helping." Quistis sat down and sighed.

_Squall, what have you done? The life support in that suit does not last this long. Are you dead already?_

"This is strange," one of her technicians remarked.

"What?" Quistis asked.

He nodded with a look of respect on his face. "Ms President, the spaceship, Ragnarok, I think there is someone on it."

"Send out a signal, try to contact whoever is on it!" She snapped.

"Hello?" A muffled voice came from over the speaker. Quistis felt as though a weight had been lifted from her chest. He was safe. He was alive. She would see him again.

"Is this really the spaceship Ragnarok?" the technician yelled in glee. "Wow, this is amazing."

"Can we make it back from here?" his voice came again.

"Yes, just follow my directions," the technician said again.

Quistis sat back and smiled. She nodded at her workers.

"Okay, now you should all concentrate on looking for Rinoa Heartilly and Ellone."

It was only an hour later when it hit her.

"Rinoa Heartilly is on the Ragnarok with Squall," she said in a sudden breakthrough.

"Huh? Ms President?" one of her workers asked.

"Contact the Ragnarok, ask how many people are on it and who they are."

A few moments later her suspicions were confirmed. Quistis shook her head then.

_Squall Squall, you left the Lunar Pod to go after Rinoa Heartilly? What a fool you are._

"What should we do?" Tom, a scientist asked her.

"The SeeDs that you found in Esthar the other day. . .they may be of some use after all. Get me Odine. I have a few requests."

**ooooo**

"We wish you God Speed," Ground Control said.

"Thanks," Squall replied softly to the speaker as he glanced over at Rinoa who kept her place near the door. He gestured for her to take the seat beside him.

Rinoa smiled as she suddenly felt herself leaving the floor. Giggling nervously she playfully did a somersault in mid air. Her hair formed a black cloud around her head as she bobbed up and down. She saw him leave his seat and a few moments later he swept her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and began to laugh softly. He left her near the seat beside his own and motioned for her to sit down but she wasn't planning to be so obedient. In a moment of playfulness she jumped onto his lap and pressed her cheek against the fur of his collar. She reached over with her left hand and cupped his face.

"Will you tell me now why you came after me?" she inquired gently.

He reached up to her hand and wrapped his gloved fingers over it. He looked slightly annoyed at their closeness but did not appear to be on the verge of forcing her away.

"It had to do with Winhill. I think I'm beginning to realize now that Winhill is connected to everything."

Rinoa nodded as she pressed herself closer to him. "I'm sorry Squall, for deceiving you. I just thought that perhaps I could have both the approval of my own kind and the one I loved but I guess I was wrong. I should have realized in the beginning that it was always one or the other. Squall, I . . .still don't understand why you came for me."

"I'm not sure either. I guess it was impulse."

She laughed nervously.

"Is that all it was? You decided to save the life of the world's most dangerous sorceress because you felt like it?"

"You would have made the right choice eventually, Rinoa." he said quietly barely above a whisper. "I have faith in nothing, in no one but I have it in you. After my mother died, after Ellone disappeared, I thought that I would never trust anyone again but after I met you I began to believe that perhaps for one last time I could.

"How about in the Space Station? Did you still have faith in me then?"

"No but I am willing to take this chance. Sometime a long time ago I think I betrayed your trust the way you just did mine. I guess we are even."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

Silence. Only the sound of the black soup of space greeted her ears as she sat in awkward closeness. Finally she spoke up again merely for the sake of speaking.

"How can I accept that when I've abused your trust so badly? I can't . .. the debt I owe you is too high. I can never repay you for what you have given me."

"Then don't. Perhaps in another world things were simpler but for us we need to cope with the circumstances of this world."

She nodded sadly and leaned over to hug him. She did it so suddenly he did not have the chance to push her away. It was good, holding him, feeling the solid weight of his flesh in her arms.

"Perhaps Squall, next time, it will be better. The next turn of the wheel, the next time I see you standing at that dance, there will not be so many obstacles in our way. We wouldn't need to travel so far to find each other."

"No," he muttered. "There will always be obstacles. In this world, the last and the next. Perhaps somewhere out there, there is even a world where you have nothing to do with the sorceress Edea and I remember nothing of Winhill."

"And in that world," Rinoa disclosed lightly "there is perfect love and perfect trust."

"No," he said as he took her hand off his cheek. "There is no such thing. But I know that no matter what the circumstances are or were, they cannot be happier than we are now . . .or more frustrated . . .or more irritated."

She chuckled under her breath but grew serious.

"Everyone will hate me for what I did to Ellone. What are you going to do about SeeD? It's all my fault."

She gently untangled herself from him and retreated to the seat beside him. She pulled her legs up and hugged them to her chest.

"They'll never let us stay together and perhaps Squall, it is best for you if we didn't."

Squall was speechless for a few moments before the speaker flared up again.

"Spaceship Ragnarok? We are collecting escape pods we have a pretty good idea of what happened. Will you please report the names of the passengers on board?"

Squall watched Rinoa carefully for a few seconds more before he leaned forward and spoke.

"I'm Squall Leonhart, a SeeD from Balamb Garden," he said.

"Is there anyone with you?" the man asked.

Squall hesitated but Rinoa took the burden off him.

"Rinoa Heartilly, the sorceress," she reported and then closed her eyes.

"The sorceress!" the man exclaimed. " . . . .the sorceress will be seized upon arrival."

Rinoa leaned back and grew silent.

So this was really the end.

Squall turned to her then, looking thoughtful.

"I can take this off of autopilot Rinoa. Let's go to Winhill."


	16. chapter15

Chapter 15 - Silent Mist

The fairies brought her ev'ry gift,

Fairies gave

Ev'ry gift,

'Cept one who told a tragic doom

None could lift.

When fifteen summers she had passed,

Fifteen years

Sweetly passed,

This wicked witch a deep, deep sleep

O'er her cast.

Sleeping Beauty (Briar Rose)

Written By: Winifred M. Stevens

Music By: Unknown

Adapted By: Terry Kluytmans

"Seifer!" Raijin called out as he and Fujin ran after the blond boy.

"What do you want?" Seifer asked, glaring viciously as he turned around. He threw his short hair back but it only served to sent a small sprinkle of dust from his blond locks. Dirt, it covered him all over.

"Don't do this Seifer," Raijin said. "It's over, ya know. This is just wrong."

"Shut up!" Seifer exclaimed as he slashed the air wildly. "Don't tell me what to do. I'm no one's slave!"

"Seifer," Fujin finally spoke up, and stepped forward despite being dangerously close to his zone of attack. "You are being her slave right now and you can't even see it. If you do this the world will end."

"This is my dream," Seifer replied. "This is it. What do you know about me?" he asked with wild fire in his eyes.

"You told me before Seifer that you wanted a posse," Fuijin continued undeterred. "Well I'm trying to do that for you now, you will regret this Seifer, the same way you regretted Rinoa Heartilly. Listen to me, please."

He laughed sarcastically.

"Squall Leonhart, I want his blood. That's my dream."

Fujin sighed and shook her head.

"What a petty dream for the likes of you."

"It's been fun," Seifer replied with a bitter wave of his hand as he left for Lunatic Pandora. Finally they would have Ellone. Finally, time compression will begin. Finally he will have revenge.

"It's no use," Raijin muttered as he tugged at Fujin's arm. "Let's go."

She shook him away and stood still, waiting, for a man who would never return.

**ooooo**

Rinoa woke up when she felt sunlight on her face. She smiled as she opened her eyes and pulled her cheek from its nook on the shoulder of the seat. Looking over she saw Squall piloting the Ragnarok. She placed her hands on her hips and stretched all while yawning. Drowsily she leaned toward Squall.

"It's nice waking up beside you," she remarked. She looked out the window and saw miles of glittering sea pass below. Somehow the ocean never looked so blue, so beautiful, so pure. The sunlight reflected off the window of the Ragnarok into a thousand colors glowing brilliantly like the shards of a rainbow. So many colors she had never seen before.

He frowned but she had grown so used to such that it almost looked like a grin.

"You should put your seat belt on," he said quietly. "We'll be there soon."

"You can't smile can you?" She asked playfully.

"What?" he asked as though he didn't hear her right.

"I dare you," she said leaning over and tugging him gingerly on his loose leather belt. "Just once, smile. I don't believe you are capable of it."

He shrugged. "I'm not."

Rinoa pouted and sat back into her seat in a gesture of frolicsome dejection.

"How about it Squall?" She asked, suddenly regaining some of her good humor. "I bet I can get you to smile . .someday."

"Whatever," he said without looking at her.

"And if I do, you have to kiss me."

"And if you fail?" he asked wearily playing along.

"Then I'll kiss you." She said mockingly.

"Sounds like I lose either way." He said under his breath.

She giggled cheerfully for a few moments before she grew serious she saw the first sight of land. Reaching up, she clasped her hand around the double rings at her throat and thought back to her father's words.

"Do you think, Squall that perhaps once upon a time, my mother sang Eyes on Me thinking of your father? Maybe he even heard her play the piano before he died. And maybe, just maybe she enjoyed playing it for him as much as I enjoy playing it for you."

"I doubt it," he replied.

Rinoa shrugged. "It's just a thought Squall." As she allowed her imagination to wander she felt a measure of peace. It was strange how one could change so much overnight.

"I haven't been in Winhill for fifteen years," he remarked quietly as he prepared to land on the grassy bluffs. "I've seen it in my dreams but this is . .. ." he trailed off as his eyes wandered along the wide stretch of the empty grass as though he saw a drama playing out where she saw only wind.

"Squall," Rinoa asked. "What exactly happened here fifteen years ago?"

After a moments hesitation he spoke.

"We died."

**ooooo**

Zell stood in the reception room in Esthar pacing back and forth. He jammed his hands deep into his back pockets as Antha sat nearby frowning wearily as though she was about to fall asleep. Selphie sat near the window, looking out over the expanse of Esthar, she smiled wistfully now and then as though she was dreaming of a better place. Irvine drifted in and out of sleep under his wide hat. They had been waiting here for hours with no sign of anyone.

"Stop pacing, Zell," Antha begged softly.

"Are they going to keep us waiting up here forever?" He asked angrily.

"Guys," Selphie interrupted suddenly "I hear something . .footsteps?"

Irvine chuckled as he lifted his hat. "Lookie here, Sefie is hallucinating."

Just then the door to the room opened. Selphie gave Irvine a cocky look.

It was Dr.Odine that walked in, with two attendants by his side.

"You SeeDs vant ze sorceress Edea?" he asked. "Ze Sorceress Edea iz in Galbadia," he said.

"Damn!" Zell yelled as he slammed his fist into the floor.

"We've waited here forever and that's all you give us?" Antha said in equal fury.

"Vait! Vait!" Odine yelled as he held up his hands in defense. "I have news on your friends."

"Squall and Rinoa?" Irvine asked as he sat up looking interested.

Odine looked utterly frustrated and began stuttering uncontrollably as one of the attendants stepped forward.

"The sorceress Rinoa has taken your friend," he said. "My name is Daniel, attendant to the President. She is concerned about the welfare of Garden. So she sent me to -"

"Wait a second!" Zell interrupted. "Rinoa has Squall? That means Rinoa is out of her coma right?"

The attendant scowled. "Yes. The sorceress has taken your friend hostage. She stole the spaceship Ragnarok and she has disappeared. The president wants me to inform you that the sorceress has deceived you all. We have already contacted your superiors at Garden."

"What? Deceived us?" Antha asked in surprise.

The attendant shook his head, "would you please let me speak?"

"No!" Antha exclaimed as she suddenly grew assertive. "I don't believe you. You are a liar. Rinoa would never deceive us. She's on our side."

Zell nodded affectionately at Antha.

"Do you have any proof of what you say?" Irvine asked.

"You don't believe me?" Daniel asked in shock. "You SeeDs are hopeless, this is a act of courtesy on part of the president. You ungrateful imbeciles!" he scolded but promptly stopped as he saw Zell shaking with fury. Irvine looked like he was about to grab him by the throat as well.

"Wait," someone said at the doorway.

The group turned their eyes to the feminine voice.

"Perhaps you would be more willing to believe what I say," she said as she walked in with her regal gown trailing after her. The group was silent as they watched the queen walk in. Her face was powdered white, hair done up into a crown on her head with a heavy jeweled headpiece weighing it down. Holding a gold whip in her hand, she gracefully walked in and motioned for Daniel to step aside.

"The sorceress has clouded your eyes with her lies," the queen said emotionlessly. "She feigned a coma so that your friend would foolishly bring her to Ellone. She wants Ellone to achieve time compression so that she can aid her mistress the sorceress Edea to take over the world. The whereabouts of Ellone are not known as of now but as long as the sorceress remains at large we are all in danger."

"No," Antha whispered as tears came into her eyes. "How could she?"

Zell was about to speak up in rebuttal but was silenced by a glance from the queen's commanding eyes. There was not a word in the room as the party took in the words of the queen. Her voice was so authoritative that they had no choice but to believe every syllable that slipped past her sharp pale lips.

The queen turned, allowing her flamboyant cape to arch the floor as she stepped in front of Daniel. Daniel looked up from his position on one knee as he raised the bracelet he held in his right hand up to her fingers.

The queen handed the jeweled bracelet to Irvine. She did not meet his eyes as she did so. The queen never looked into the eyes of her subjects, she was far too high and mighty to suffer such an insult.

"Take this back to Garden and place it on the sorceress Rinoa. Only after you place this upon her will this precarious situation pass."

She turned and left, with her attendants following hastily behind her. All except for Odine who looked at the SeeDs with a frustrated expression.

"Ze sorceress, ze SeeD, it's all von mess."

Then he left too.

Zell wrapped his arms around Antha who was crying. She buried her face into his strong shoulder as he whispered some sweet nonsense into her ear.

"Don't cry," he bid her. "I'm sure we'll find them."

"Antha," Irvine said as he pocketed the bracelet. "The important thing is that they are okay and that Rinoa's back. I'm sure they just went somewhere to hide from that bitch of a queen."

Antha smiled at his use of profanity and sniffed, swallowing her tears.

"Yeah," she whispered. "Let's go find them."

Zell squeezed her shoulders and the four teens slowly walked out of the reception room to be escorted out of Esthar by the guards at the door.

**ooooo**

Winhill.

It was like a vision from a dream. He stepped out of the Ragnarok and breathed in the familiar scent of his dreamworld. Beside him Rinoa stood patiently laying her eyes on the field of grass. So this the place that destiny took place. She took a few steps forward and glanced back at him. He was watching the bluffs without moving, frozen in place by both his nocturnal acquaintance as well as the alien quality.

"Come on, Squall," Rinoa whispered. "Let's go."

He ignored her so she smiled playfully and grabbed his hand.

She tugged him with her onto the bluffs until the Ragnarok was the size of a grasshopper in the distance and they stood surrounded by grass all around. He walked about absently kicking a few tufts of grass with the tip of his boot.

"I don't know what I came here to find, Rinoa."

"It doesn't matter. Perhaps we came here to find out what we are to be looking for," she said.

He scanned the horizon. "I always saw my father's grave in my flashbacks. I don't see it anywhere."

"Well let's go find it, it must be here somewhere." She said with an unusual lightness to her voice.

Squall squinted his eyes. Was it just the sun that was making him dizzy? The world begin to spin before his eyes and he heard a ringing in his ears. He stumbled forward and fell onto his side.

"Squall!"Rinoa asked with fear in her voice and she bent down beside him and turned him over, cradling his upper torso in her lap. "Are you in your dreamworld again Squall?" she asked trying to mask the alarm in her words. As soon as she asked the question she realized how utterly ridiculous it was. If he was in the dreamworld he surely wasn't going to answer. That was when she felt it too. Dizziness. The fields were spinning round and round like a merry-go-round.

"No," she whispered as she collapsed on top of him.

**ooooo**

dreamworld

**ooooo**

"Hi, I'm Julia Heartilly," the dark haired woman beside him said. She gestured to him " my husband and my daughter." Squall looked and saw his mother standing in front of him. In her arms was a tiny two year old boy who was eyeing the curious couple with interested blue eyes.

(It's another flashback) Squall thought to himself as he caught sight of the little girl in his arms. She was sucking her thumb making tiny sounds as she contentedly rested her cheek against her father's chest.

(I'm general Caraway) Squall realized in alarm.

"Who's the little gentleman?" Julia asked smiling.

Rinoa felt her mouth move as she watched her mother lean towards her.

(What is happening!) She wondered in dismay. Yet she felt a measure of comfort as she saw her father standing before her with her younger self in his arms. Her mouth started moving and she realized that she had no control over the body she inhabited.

"This is my son, Squall. Squall, say hello."

Rinoa realized that her arms were moving as she altered her grip on the tiny warm body pressed against her side.

"Hello," a tiny voice said beside her. Rinoa felt a tickling sensation in the back of her neck as his tiny fingers tugged at the collar of her sweater.

(Stop it Squall!) But of course he did not hear her.

Across the way, Rinoa watched her mother grab the dark haired girl from her husband's arms.

"Rinoa, say something,"

"Mommy, his eyes are on me." the little girl replied. Rinoa could feel herself trying to suppress a chuckle, not that she could have laughed even if she wanted. She realized that she was in Squall's mother's body. How odd.

Squall felt his arms move as General Caraway reached over to receive baby Rinoa from Julia. General Caraway began to walk away towards the horizon as he held Rinoa close to him. He hummed a tune under his breathe as he walked.

A purple cloud appeared on the bluff. It just seemed so wrong it was surrealistic. The general froze with shock as a witch attacked him. Baby Rinoa screamed and began to holler. From across the bluff, Julia began to run towards them.

"Get away from her witch!" Caraway yelled as he shoved the sorceress back. Inside of the general, Squall felt the man's desperation as he shoved the fiery sorceress away from the soft bundle in his arms. Rinoa continued to scream making her difficult to hold. In irritation, the sorceress raised her clawed hand at the general and lifted him off his feet without touching him. He was thrown onto his back on the bluff but he held tight to his daughter.

The sorceress walked closer. A frown on her lips as the long tentacles slithering off her crown blew in the wind. She was stumbling, dying, slowly, ready to pass on her power but she needed to pry the child away first.

She raised her arm once more and suddenly Squall felt a sharp stab of pain in his chest, the general's chest. It was as though someone had grabbed a handful of his heart and was squeezing the living life out of it. The general choked in pain but pressed his daughter to himself tighter still.

"Stop it! Stop!" Julia yelled as she tried to attack the sorceress but she was promptly knocked off her feet and dropped a few feet away. She moaned, trying to recover from the harsh fall. Squall felt his head twist to Julia as the general watched his wife across the bluff. Someone was choking his heart, ripping the flesh off of it.

Squall felt as though he was about to breathe his last when suddenly an entity came to his rescue. A blue flash across the meadow as a young girl with dark hair rammed herself into the sorceress, knocking her back, releasing the general from death's claws.

_Rinoa_ _from the future_.

**ooooo**

Across the bluff, Raine turned to go after Julia when a figure grabbed her arm. Inside Raine, Rinoa desperately scanned the horizon searching for her father. She was as shocked as Raine when the figure grabbed her. Fearing a similar fate for herself and her child, Raine instinctively drew back and prepared to run.

"Mother," he said as he frowned at her. Raine hugged her infant son against her breast as she stared at the mysterious figure who looked so very familiar. Although Raine did not recognize him, the Rinoa inside her did. It was the Squall from the future. Funny he looked just like her Squall - exactly the same, scar and all.

"Squall?" Raine asked suddenly as the realization came to her. She stepped forward, trying to calm her child into desisting his cries. "Squall," she whispered as she stepped closer. "It really is you."

She reached out to touch him when he turned his eyes away from her and to the horizon.

"A girl, mother," he said breathlessly. "Did you see a girl in blue?"

Raine shook her head.

The Rinoa from the future attacked the sorceress in red.

"But we defeated you .. " Rinoa said in disbelief as the sorceress cast holy on her, throwing her back.

"A sorceress, must pass on her powers." The sorceress whispered as she collapsed to her knees. Her crown of tentacles slipped her head as she reached for the infant girl.

"No!" Rinoa yelled as she placed herself in between her father and the sorceress. "You will not pass on your powers to me. It's Edea whom you must find . .you can't change the past this way!" Rinoa yelled in fury.

The sorceress smirked wickedly underneath her frightful exterior.

"This time, Rinoa," she hissed. "This time he will never find you. A sorceress I will make you. A sorceress you shall be when he meets you, a sorceress forever onto death. Will he love you now? Will you defeat me this time?"

"NO!" Rinoa screamed as she held her weapon up ready to shoot it at the sorceress. It was like the pinwheel, except covered in white feathers like a circle of angel wings.

"I won't let you change the past," Rinoa said as she scanned the horizon for Squall. He was nowhere to be seen.

Holding his chest in pain, Caraway crawled back onto his feet. Trying his best to quiet the sobbing infant Rinoa, he ran over to Julia.

The sorceress chuckled wickedly falling into a laughing fit. "Where is he, Rinoa? Gone like feathers in the wind. Kurse you and your worthless ideals of love."

"He's here!" Rinoa yelled in effort to convince herself that he would come to her rescue. "He will come. I know he will. He'll know what to do."

The sorceress laughed and in a sudden motion lunged for Caraway. Rinoa was slow to react and once she turned she came face to face with Hell's Judgement which left her barely on the brink of consciousness.

"Rinoa!" Caraway hollered in concern as he watched the older version of his daughter lie limp on the ground. "You bitch!" Caraway swore as he attacked the sorceress with his fists. She swatted them away like flies and yanked the infant from his arms. Finally across the plain, a dark figure appeared. Squall. Too late.

The red energy from the sorceress went like a pulsing stream of flames into the infant girl. She screamed at the top of her lungs as the power burned her innards, changing her permanently from mortal to witch. The child screamed and screamed, the sound vibrating across time to the present because even as the screams stopped pouring forth from her mouth, there was always something deep inside of her hollering.

"Witch," Squall swore as he lifted his gunblade to the sorceress's throat.

"Too late," she said laughing. "Too late SeeD, you kame too late."

Squall turned his eyes to the tiny girl, as she cried herself to sleep. Her hair flared with red energy as her hands clenched in rage. She was a sorceress all right, a damned powerful one too. She was right .. .he had come too late. Far too late.

"You failed her, SeeD." The sorceress said, mocking him. "Lookk at your handiworkk. I have won even though I lost. Bekause love . .. it's nothing but poppykokk in the end." she laid down and laughed one final time as she drifted onto death. Her body turned into mist, the mist that spread over Winhill.

"Squall?" Rinoa whispered as she got to her feet from across the way. "Squall what happened?" she asked with desperation in her voice as she caught sight of his face. She batted away some of the mist across her face and reached out trying to touch him. He looked as though he was staring death in the eye. He stared at her with complete and utter surrender like he had finally been beaten.

"I failed you .. " he said as he looked down at the infant . .the sorceress infant.

"Squall . ." Rinoa moaned as she reached over to him. "I don't understand. .what do you mean?"

"I'm sorry." He whispered. The light faded from his eyes as he fell to his knees and then flat onto the ground. He landed with a gentle thud, hand across his chest, in the grass never to rise again. In complete and utter shock, Rinoa knelt down beside him. She cradled his limp body in her lap and bursted out in tears.

"No. Wake up, Squall. I forgive you . . .I forgive . ." She buried her face in his chest but he did not respond. The mist wrapped them in an envelope of white as the general scrambled to Rinoa's side. He stood there, watching his daughter mourn over the boy, standing in respective silence as Julia came to his and ..finally Raine.

Raine crumbled beside the body of her son and opened her mouth in shock. Tears came to her eyes within seconds.

"Is he dead?" she breathed incredulously, unable to accept that she had just watched her son die, that it was written in the stars for him to live such a short life and die for such a futile purpose. Oh surely this could not be. A mother should never outlive her child and at that moment her sorrow knew no bound. She reached over and clutched his hand, the alien hand of a stranger who was once her child and still was.

"How?" Raine asked but the real question was Why? And there was no answer to that question. Nothing which words could satisfy.

"Love. ." Rinoa whispered as she wiped her eyes. "Courage and friendship. To live you need all three. To go home . . .you can't fall into doubt .. "

"Rinoa," Caraway implored as he placed his hand on her slender shoulder but she swatted him away as though his touch contained the venom of a snake. She stood up, gravely, emotionlessly as though she had suddenly turned into a being of gears and screws instead of tears and anguish.

"Perhaps . ." she whispered. "There is still a way . . ."

Raine hugged Squall's body and pulled him onto her lap.

"What are you saying Rinoa?" Julia asked as she reached over to take her daughter's arm. Rinoa didn't shove her away like she did Caraway but her face still showed no emotion as she calmly watched the death before her.

"Maybe . .I can still . .save him . ." she uttered under her breath. Suddenly, she yanked her arm out of her mother's grasp and ran into the bluff. The two adults stared at her departure in confusion as the third slowly finished mourning over the motionless flesh of her child.

Yet inside Caraway, Squall watched her disappear into the mist. Only he knew where she had gone and how she planned to change the future. It was such a sad, pitiful attempt but she was obviously past desperation.

"Rinoa!" Caraway yelled as he say her reappearing in the mist. There was a tiny figure behind her, following her which the rest of the adults did not see, one which watched her as she stepped up to Squall's body.

"Rinoa," Caraway, implored once more as he reached over and grabbed her. "You know how to get back don't you. Will you be okay?"

Almost in a trace, she turned her eyes to him yet still she did not see him.

"I have nothing to return to .. no one to bring me back. He was all I had."

"Rinoa!" Julia snapped as she tried to scold some sense into her daughter but Rinoa ignored the both of them and knelt down once more beside Squall. She stroked his hair in a serene manner as she stared into his face.

"My love," she whispered as she kissed his cold lips. "Your doubt must claim my life as well as your own." Laying her cheek against his chest, she breathed her last and embraced death with both arms. The two lovers melted into air as Rinoa slipped out of life. Caraway reached down to grab her, to shake her back to life but all he caught was a handful of mist.

The silent mist over Winhill.

**ooooo**

Dreamworld End

**ooooo**

The three SeeDs saluted as they walked into the Headmaster's office where Cid was standing beside Xu and Nida, the pilot.

"We have bad news," Irvine said.

Cid sighed and sat down. "I know, the sorceress Edea got away."

"Yes and,"Zell said as he looked down in shame. "Rinoa . .. she pulled a fast one on us, the queen claims. She was out to get Ellone all along." Zell looked away then, in complete dejection.

"But we don't know that until we find her," Irvine countered. "Squall and Rinoa are gone."

"Rinoa. . "Cid muttered and shook his head.

"Headmaster . . "Irvine began with uncertainty. "The Queen of Esthar she gave us something to restrain Rinoa with .. "

"Queen Quistis," Cid corrected, finally revealing the dark secret he had harbored for so many years.

He did not lift his head to see the shock on the faces of his students. Instead he kept his head down, watching the floor because he knew by the silence alone that there was no going back.

"Quistis has Ellone," Cid answered. "She will attempt time compression when the time is right. The sorceress Edea is doing the same. We need to prevent either of them from using Ellone for that dark purpose."

"Time compression?" Selphie asked. "What is that?"

"I'll explain later," Cid answered. "You need to find Squall first. Xu, tell them what Ellone told you."

"They're in Winhill," Xu answered softly. "The southernmost town on the Galbadian continent."

"I don't understand," Irvine said finally recovering from Cid's revelation. "Quistis . .that woman was Qusitis?"

"Yes," Cid answered. "We've been working with Odine for a long time but it turns out that his loyalty was not to be trusted. We handed Ellone right into the sorceress Quistis's fingers. You need to find Squall now."

The group understood by their headmaster's change in tone that this was urgent business.

They filed out grimly leaving Cid alone with Xu.

Just as Cid didn't believe that things could get much worse, Xu interrupted the silence.

"Headmaster, I want to resign from the position of commander."

**ooooo**

Squall woke up first from the dreamworld. He sat up from his lumpy bed on the bluffs surprised to find Rinoa's head against his chest. Strange, they were almost lying in the same position as their future selves or perhaps that was no longer the future but the present. He shifted her unmoving body and turned her so that she could lie face up in his lap. He looked up and scanned the endless bluffs that stretched to meet the sky in the distance like a grassy sea. He almost expected to see his mother and Julia standing there, still grieving over his pitiful mistake.

"Squall?" She asked.

He looked down and saw her waking from her unnatural sleep. Sitting up, she was in a daze from what she had just seen.

"I just had the strangest dream," she muttered. "I dreamed I saw myself as a useless twit."

"Was it here in Winhill?" he asked although he already knew the answer. "With our parents?"

She nodded and her mouth fell open. "You had the same dream? Wait, don't tell me that was the past!"

"It was," he replied tritely. _Rinoa__, I think I know now who killed your father. _But he did not say a word. He reached over and took her by her slender wrist.

"I'm sorry . .. Rinoa . . for what happened to you."

She laughed bitterly and sarcastically. "Sorry? For the sins of your future self? That's ridiculous."

Although she laughed he saw the fear in her eyes. The truth was that he felt a similar terror in his own heart. He had always better at disguising fear than most. How soon was that future? A day? Two days? A week? The thing with destiny was that it was inevitable and immutable. He took his hand off her wrist suddenly as he felt the blood of her death staining his fingers.

"The future is now the present, Rinoa." he muttered as he looked away.

"No," Rinoa reached over with her hand and gently turned him by his cheek. He reached up with one hand trying unsuccessfully, unwillingly to push her away. "Squall, that's not our future. It's their's. I refuse to believe that it's the way things have to be for us as well."

He stood up and brushed himself off. Reaching over he pulled her to her feet. He squeezed her by the wrist and forced her to look into his face.

"The reason you couldn't find me," he began trying his best to comfort her. "Was because we hadn't made our promise yet."

"Our promise?" she asked brushing back a few strands of her dark hair.

" I'll be waiting here."

"Why?" she asked frowning, wondering what purpose he had in mind.

"I'll be 'waiting' here" he continued awkwardly tasting the unfamiliar words on his tongue.

"For what?" She smiled faintly as she began to realize what he meant. Yet she prodded him on because she wanted to hear it, needed to hear it.

"I'll be waiting . . . for you . . . so." But suddenly he felt a burst of resolve as he spoke. She was willingly to die for him so why was he so afraid of muttering a few tender words of support? The words were unfamiliar because he had never spoken them out loud before but surely she had heard them already, in the silent speeches that passed so often between them.

"If you come here you will find me."

"I promise." He said, sealing their pact.

She nodded knowingly.

"Alright, and in return I promise the same."

She leaned over and hugged him suddenly. Melting slightly he shyly drew his arms around her as well. He hoped she wasn't getting used to these spontaneous embraces, they made him uncomfortable . . . although not entirely in a bad way.

"We need to be getting back," he mumbled into her ear. She drew back and looked into his face.

"I'm afraid," she confessed unwillingly. "I like it better here," she said glancing around once more. "It's so quiet and peaceful. I could spend my whole life here."

"We'll come back." He agreed. "When this is over."

He tugged at her arm and motioned for her to follow him back to the Ragnarok.

They walked together back toward the Ragnaroak nd for once he did not walk in front while she followed. This time, he waited for her, and allowed her to walk beside him.

When they came closer to the dragon ship, Rinoa frowned into the distance and grabbed Squall's arm.

"There's something wrong." She said and wrinkled her nose.

"What?" He asked looking over the ship, seeing nothing suspicious.

"We're not alone. I feel people close by."

He nodded and drew his gunblade. The two walked closer cautiously fearing the worst. For a moment he expected to see the purple cloud appear and replay the tragedy upon the bluff.

He was wrong. As they came closer he caught sight of four teens standing in confusion, watching the ship.

Rinoa must have seen it too because she ducked behind him, as though she was trying to hide herself behind him.

Selphie was the first to catch sight of him.

"Squall!" She hollered in glee and began to jump up and down clapping. Irvine smiled as Zell punched the air.

Squall came closer with Rinoa trailing reluctantly behind.

"How did you find us?" He asked, eyeing the SeeDs.

"Ellone," Irvine replied. "She managed to contact Xu who told us to come here to find you. Ellone's in trouble Squall."

Squall shook his head, "Ellone's always in trouble."

"Rinoa?" Antha asked but trailed off.

"Yo Rinoa," Zell said finishing the sentence for his lady love. "What's this we hear about what happened up in the space station?"

"A misunderstanding," Squall replied, speaking up for her for once, perhaps for the first time. "It's nothing."

"No," Rinoa said as she stepped forward unwilling to allow him to smooth over this gorge of shame for her. "I betrayed you all. I've been lying since the day you met me. I'm Ultimecia's spy.

It was all a plot to get Ellone. I was never really in a coma."

There was complete silence within the group. Antha stood with her arm frozen in midair as her face turned to stone. Selphie frowned and mulled over her words. Irvine merely tightened his gripe on his gun as he contemplated how badly he was fooled. Zell meanwhile appeared to recover the fastest as he had recovered in FH when he first found out she was a sorceress.

"Yo Squall," he said. "I'm sorry."

Squall shrugged, realizing suddenly that Zell was looking at him with sympathy for Rinoa's betrayal.

"It was just a matter of time before she came to." He said trailing off, realizing what a love sick fool this made him look like in their eyes. "You won't understand even if I told you," he said after a few moments. "She's not a threat to us, she never was." He continued in broken speech as it was completely alien to him to explain such personal matters to his coworkers.

The group appeared to relax a little as time brushed away their shock.

"You need to come back to Garden," Irvine finally responded. "Xu and Cid need to talk to you."

"I left Garden," Squall replied. "I committed treason just like Seifer. What do they want with the likes of me?"

Zell shook his head, "Yo Squall, don't talk like that. You know that's not true. We need you. You are our leader."

Squall scowled at them as he felt Rinoa's slender fingers snake into his hand.

"It doesn't matter what you consider me. I'm not leaving Rinoa to go back to Garden. If that's what you have in mind you can forget it."

"Well," Irvine said as he stepped forward. "Actually Rinoa can come with us."

Squall glared at him sharply. "Is this the headmaster's order or just your idea Kinneas?" he asked.

"Here," Irvine took the jeweled bracelet out of his pocket and offered it to Rinoa. "This will suppress your powers Rinoa. I doubt anyone will have a problem with your presence as long as you wear it."

Rinoa took the bracelet from him and saw it glitter beautifully in the morning light. It was one of Odine's products, she realized immediately. It was a particularly strong one. This would render her helpless.

"Don't put it on Rinoa," Squall admonished as he eyed the SeeDs suspiciously. They looked away as he surveyed them. Although he was not older in age, his authority among them was undebatable. The air of command which surrounded his words was unlike that of Esthar's regal Queen.

"No Squall," Rinoa said as she fingered the bracelet one last time. "I'll wear this . .for you."

There was a silent sigh of relief among the four teens as Rinoa slipped the bracelet over her fingers and fitted it snugly around her wrist. It clicked as she put it on and she wondered if she would ever be able to take it off.

But she did not have the chance to speculate for long because immediately her senses became distorted. She stumbled back as the world started swirling before her. She lifted her hand to her head trying to clear her eyes but she couldn't. The entire world was a blur.

"Rinoa?" Irvine asked but the sound felt like it came from under water. She felt someone grab her, Squall no doubt, but even his touch was strange, duller. She leaned against him and closed her eyes trying to get used to her new senses one at a time. She tried to walk where he led her but her feet wouldn't move. Slower, she had to get used to the fact that everything was much slower. Her feet couldn't move as swiftly as before and with the first step she took, she tripped miserably. She would have fallen flat on her face had he not caught her. She did not see him scowl before he glared at the other SeeDs with a look of utmost fury.

Irvine looked away shamefully as Antha stared at Rinoa with complete sadness and pity written on her face. The great sorceress was no more. She was barely an infant now, learning to walk again.

"Maybe you should pick her up . . " Zell said as he watched the dark haired girl with equal sympathy. "She looks kind of out of it. . ."

"Don't tell me what to do," Squall snapped as he reached down and followed Zell's advice. He lifted the slender girl and held her against his chest, reminiscent of her comatose state. Pale as a piece of paper, she leaned against him in complete submission. Her eyes remained closed as her arms flopped limply in space while he carried her up the stairs into the Ragnarok.

"The bracelet did that to her?" Antha asked nervously.

Irvine shrugged. "Don't fret Antha. It's just a matter of getting used to. Sorceresses have stronger senses that's all. She sees things like you and me now."

"Oh," Antha whispered.

Selphie stared into nothingness and followed the group into the Ragnarok.

**ooooo**

Light.

It was a big swirl like a child's water painting. She squinted and moved her eyes but it was all she saw. Soon things began to clear and she realized that there was darkness nearby too. Darkness and light, danced about her blind eyes, molding into shapes. Drifting, she was in space drifting endlessly again but this time there was no one to call her back. She had not felt it when he picked her up and placed her on a seat in the passenger room of the Ragnarok. She did not realize that Antha was nearby, sitting by her watching in concern. All she was aware of was that she was lying against something, something firm that prevented her from floating in watery emptiness.

The room stopped spinning and she began to make out objects. She sat up in the chair trembling like a drunk.

"Rinoa," someone whispered. She squinted.

"Antha?" she asked. Her voice . .it was so soft. Everything was so much softer than it used to be. She couldn't hear anything in the next room anymore, nor could she hear the mortal heart beating within Antha's chest. So many sounds were gone. How did they live this way?

"Antha?" she asked raising her voice to its normal caliber.

"Don't shout, Rinoa." Antha said with fear in her voice.

"I'm sorry," Rinoa said as she stumbled to her feet. Antha reached out to help her and Rinoa was glad that she was able to catch sight of Antha's eyes as she came closer. Yes, her sight was clearing, it could never be as clean as it used to be but now she was functioning again.

"How do you get used to this?" Rinoa asked as she began to walk, moving one sluggish foot in front of the other.

"We usually get used to it by the age of two," someone else said humorously from the back of the room.

Rinoa looked up, funny she had not heard him coming. Not the way she would have in the past.

"Irvine." She said, identifying him by the blurry features of his trench coat.

"Feeling better Rinoa?" He asked walking closer. Rinoa took a few steps without Antha's help but promptly started stumbling again.

"It's hard," she whispered under her breath. Well it sounded like a whisper to her ears but to them it might have been something else.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. His head moved. After a brief moment of hesitation, she identified it as a nod.

"You'll get used to it. We'll be landing soon are you sure you're up to walking?"

"I'm a fast learner," Rinoa answered.

"Don't worry Rinoa," Antha chipped in as she helped Rinoa back into one of the seats. "We'll take care of you. Zell will, he's real good at that type of thing."

Rinoa raised her hand up to her head and closed her eyes once more. Somehow she saw everything clearer with the images in her memory than the swirling colors before her.

"How are things going with Zell?" Rinoa asked directing the conversation away from herself.

"He's taking me to duel hill for a picnic ," Antha replied gleefully. "Maybe you and Squall can come."

_Naw__ I think Squall might be more into going for another funeral on the bluffs._

"Maybe," Rinoa replied.

Irvine chuckled. "Did I tell you guys? Selphie, she's already planning a party to celebrate the defeat of the sorceress."

"Already!" Antha asked in surprise.

"Yup. She's going to hold it in the ballroom where ya guys had the graduation dance. What do you say Rinoa?"

_Perhaps being reduced to a fog will make it a little hard for you to accommodate me._

The Ragnarok bumped suddenly as it landed in FH. They forgot about the question as they prepared to leave. Irvine grabbed Rinoa's hand and pulled her to her feet.

"It's okay Rinoa if you feel like falling into me. I have girls doing that all the time," Irvine whispered happily. But perhaps it only sounded like a whisper to her because everything did.

"I'll keep that in mind," Rinoa answered as she began to walk toward the door.

Zell appeared suddenly with a package under one arm. He scratched his neck nervously as he handed it to Rinoa.

"Here ya go, open it, Rinoa."

She took the box reluctantly.

"What is it?"

"A gift," Antha said giggling.

Lifting the top of the box, Rinoa realized that they had given her a new weapon. The shooting star. Feeling the fear forming like a layer of ice underneath her skin, she realized that the future was truly upon them. All the props, costumes and lines had been doled out. The drama on the bluffs was about to begin.

**ooooo**

"Cid is waiting," Xu urged as the grouped stepped off the Ragnarok. Squall stood at the entrance of the ship with Selphie and Irvine behind him. His expression was stony, irritated, malignant but truthfully he was relieved to be home. Xu lifted her hand and nodded courteously motioning for them to keep walking.

"Selphie, Irvine, please report to Headmaster's office immediately," Xu ordered. With a look of surprise across their faces, they left, following the commander's decree. They left their leader unwillingly, as they had hoped to accompany him to the Headmaster as before, however, as reluctantly as they left, they did.

Squall realized once again that he was in the awkward position of being alone with Xu.

"Let's go," he said gruffly as he began walking in the direction of the dock.

"Wait," Xu reached out with the intention of grabbing him but instead hesitated and withdrew her hand.

"I have something to say to you." She began.

Impatiently, Squall stood uncomfortably before her, waiting for her to scold him for abandoning her on the docks before. However, instead she smiled.

"You were right Squall." She said taking a breath as the amicable expression melted from her face. "Garden . .is just a means for an end."

"What?" He asked her in surprise, as the scowling expression was jarred from his face for once in a long time.

She nodded wearily in the look of one who has surrendered.

"I was thinking, Squall, after you left about a lot of things. About this position, about Cid, about my life in general and I came to a realization."

Silence.

"Don't you want to know what that realization was?" she asked him curiously as she widened her brown eyes at him like a shy puppy dog.

"Whatever," he replied with a wave of his hand.

"This position of commander was never meant to be mine."

Silence.

She continued however, speaking to him even if he was as deaf as a wall.

" I was fighting a war which I had no part in. I made a very important discovery, Squall, one which I know you can relate to. I realized that being commander was not the means that would bring me to my end."

"I didn't mean that, Xu." Squall finally spoke up as he tried to salvage her lost purpose.

"I know you didn't, Squall. I know that when you reached into the fire to save Selphie in The Tempest you didn't mean to take over the role of the leader. I know that in the Galbadia war you didn't fight where the fighting was the worst for glory. You were always the leader even though you refused all the spoils. You gave us all light but wanted none of the credit. I think I am finally beginning to understand who you are Squall and in the process, finally understand myself."

"What are you talking about?" He asked in utter confusion.

"You were always the leader Squall, even when I had the title. You were the commander even when I was the chosen one. This is your battle even though I'm the figurehead. Now I want to ask you to take back what is yours."

"Don't," he began, finally raising his voice. "This is stupid."

"Squall," Xu finally said sadly. "The ruler of Esthar is Quistis. The sorceress Edea is your Matron, her knight is your rival and the sorceress Rinoa is your confidant. This is your destiny, not mine. Perhaps I will find my own end one day but today I have no right to be here."

"Xu," Squall replied wearily. "I'm not who you think I am. You have me up on a pedestal, this is ridiculous."

"It doesn't matter," Xu said as she smiled once more sadly. "I resigned an hour ago. You need to talk to Cid, perhaps it's not too late to bring things back to the way it was meant to be."

Squall shook his head in sorrow and rage before he gave up.

"Why me?" he snapped at Xu as he turned. "Why is it always _my_ destiny?"

As he left Xu stood there holding her right arm in her left in effort to hug herself.

She stood watching his form disappear in the distance and realized that there was only one answer for the question he asked. Only one honest answer.

_Because Squall, I care about you._

**ooooo**

"You're back," the headmaster said as Squall stepped into the second floor balcony.

Squall stood there beside the old man as they looked over the ocean. In a way, he knew that what Xu said had some truth. He too had looked at Cid as a father figure since he was taken to the orphanage fourteen years ago.

"We are going to fight one last battle against the sorceress," Cid responded half -heartedly. "I think you know already why I told you on the day of the SeeD exam that this was your destiny."

"Quistis," Squall answered. "You want me to win her over to our side. Is that it?"

"Yes," Cid responded. "There are only two people in this world capable of forcing Quistis into submission."

"Me and Seifer," Squall responded as his eyes glowed with a new understanding, of his past and of the future. "You were right," Squall responded as he turned his eyes back to the horizon. "This is my mission and mine alone."

"Xu has resigned from her position," Cid answered wearily.

"I know."

"You were my first choice, Squall, to lead Garden. But I didn't choose you out of fear. What would I look like if I choose a seventeen year old to lead an army? Me and my mid-life crisis." Cid said with a chuckle. "So I choose Xu, three years your senior to lead us but I realized soon enough that I had made a mistake and so did she, the sweet child."

"I can fight this battle alone," Squall responded absently. "I don't need your titles and your forces to help me through. This is the battle I've been fighting since the day I was born."

"Still unwilling, Squall, to take the credit?" Cid asked with a familiar coyness to his voice.

"Funny you don't mention how I eluded the blame as well thirteen years ago."

"Squall" Cid said as he reached out trying to touch and comfort the young man but Squall drew back as though he was afraid of human contact.

"Don't. . " Cid continued. "You need to stop tormenting yourself with your guilt." Cid shook his head. "But I guess you won't listen to me anyway. You need the force of Garden behind you. Galbadia is preparing to attack Esthar. This could get as bad as the sorceress's war two decades ago."

Squall kept staring at the horizon, east, in the direction of Esthar.

_Quistis_

"No, it won't" he responded. Quistis won't allow it.

"I know it won't."

"It doesn't matter, we have bigger problems on our hands. Ever heard of time compression?"

". . . ."

"It's when past present and future are all combined into one. That's why Ellone is and always has been such a lethal weapon. The sorceress wants Ellone to send her back in time. In such a world no one but the sorceress will be able to exist."

"So the sorceress is out to destroy the planet?" Squall asked.

"Yes," Cid replied. "If you don't succeed all this will be dead."

**ooooo**

"Beautiful dreamer," Selphie sang under her breath as she walked hand in hand with Irvine down the FH street. "Wake unto me," she wrinkled her nose as she saw him winking at a passing lady.

"Starlight and dewdrops, are waiting for thee," she continued as she hopped by Irvine's side.

"I think I've finally got it!" Selphie exclaimed as she jumped up and down. "Tee hee!"

"Good, good Selphie," Irvine said as he patted her head, mockingly.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"It's such a pretty song!"

Irvine shrugged. "But are you sure it doesn't sound familiar? Like you are rediscovering something that you already know?"

"No."

"You really don't remember anything of our times together as children Selphie?" Irvine asked perturbed.

Selphie rubbed her right foot against her left.

"Well, not really. I think I remember bits and pieces of playing with ya."

"Try harder. Try as you sing this song. Maybe it will help."

She frowned. "Are the two connected?"

Irvine smiled at her. "That's for you to figure out."

She folded her arms across her chest. "I think they are. What? Did we sing this song as children?"

"More than that," Irvine replied. "I want you to remember Selphie."

_I want you to remember because I want you to be the Selphie I used to know. I want be able to look at you and see my past and know that there is something still alive that could tell me that my childhood really did happen. Other people have parents, pictures, toys, to remind them that they were once children. I just have these phantom memories that no one, nothing can confirm. I want to know that it wasn't all imagination and dream._

"Irvine," Selphie continued. "I'll try my best."

"Alright," Irvine said rubbing his palms together. "Let's go back."

"Wait, Irvy, are you sure you don't want to talk to me about Quistis some more?" Selphie asked.

Irvine tipped his hat back.

"I loved Quistis just like everyone at the orphanage. She was like an older sister to all of us. She always had special feelings for Squall but I think she had feelings for someone else too."

Selphie "but why does this bother you?"

"I don't know," Irvine said as he scratched his head. "I think the Headmaster is trying to play on her love for Squall to bring her to defeat but I think there is someone else who could do it more surely."

"Who?" Selphie asked eagerly.

Irvine looked away with reluctance.

"Irvine!" Selphie implored.

"Seifer." He replied.

Selphie raised her fingers to her lips.

"If Seifer gets to her first. . ."

"We're screwed," Irvine finished for her.

**ooooo**

"Commander Leonhart! Commander Leonhart!" The young girl yelled furiously as she ran to Squall's side. She flicked a pigtail behind her as she beamed at the stone hearted man.

"Don't call me that," he admonished gently, weakly.

"But that's your new title!" Antha said happily as she ran to keep up with his fast stride.

He scowled but kept walking, in the direction of the Ragnarok.

"How come you never talk?" Antha asked innocently.

" . . ."

They walked silently for a few moments before Antha broke the awkward silence.

"Do you think, Commander Leonhart, that I would have a good chance at SeeD?" she asked changing the subject.

He sighed and gave her the same speech he gave Selphie a long time ago.

"Follow the directions, pay attention. That's all there is to it."

Antha chuckled. "All there is to it for you, you mean, Commander Leonhart. Some of us are not as gifted."

Entering the room however, Antha frowned in surprise.

"She's gone."

"What do you mean?" Squall asked indignantly.

"Rinoa, we left her here a few moments ago. She's not here anymore."


	17. chapter17

**Chapter 16- The Princess and the Queen**

"Commander Leonhart," Xu said as she walked into the Headmaster's office. "I have some starling news to report." She beamed at him showing him a row of white teeth. He grumbled slightly as he tore his eyes away from the sea.

"The Sorceress Quistis has just made a daring move. She has relocated to Lunatic Pandora."

He widened his eyes for a moment as he took in the news.

"Do you have any idea why?" Xu asked curiously.

"Did Cid say anything?" Squall asked absently.

"I have no idea," Cid answered as he appeared at the doorway. "It's baffling. I don't see how it serves her purpose. It is easier to place her base in the city then in that mountainous no man's region. How does she plan to mobilize her troops?"

"Xu," Squall said. "Where is Lunatic Pandora on the map?"

Xu walked over to the large full scale map of the planet mounted on the rightmost wall.

"Here," she said as she pointed to the tip of the Estharian continent. "It's a place called Tear's Point. Do you think Squall, that she might be trying to cause a Lunar Cry?"

"No," Squall said as he thoughtfully studied the region. "It's obvious why she chose to move to Lunatic Pandora, I'm amazed you two don't see it."

"Squall," Cid said mockingly. "Will you please enlighten us with your perceptive observations?"

Squall frowned as he pointed to the region with one gloved finger.

"Look, this place borders the ocean and is surrounded on all sides by mountains. It is impossible for the Galbaldian Garden or the Balamb Garden to penetrate that rugged terrain. It is also on the border of an ocean. Should she need to make a quick escape, Lunatic Pandora could easily go by way of the sea. The cliffs above the sea are so high that whereas the Lunatic Pandora can escape by that route it would be impossible for a Garden to enter."

Xu clapped her hands and Cid enthusiastically followed. Nida who was usually the disengaged pilot, turned and clapped as well. Squall scowled.

"Are you finished?" He asked with a nonchalant wave of his hand.

Xu smiled shamefully. "Yes."

"The prime reason why I believe she chose to relocate to Lunatic Pandora is to protect her people. She wants to draw the battle away from her empire."

Cid nodded. "I guess we have underestimated her."

"I'll lead a mission into Lunatic Pandora," Squall responded ignoring the headmaster. "I'll take a small group of SeeDs with me. That's all. The rest of Garden can remain in FH as to avoid suspicion."

"Squall," Xu implored as she looked down embarrassed, "may I be one of those SeeDs who will accompany you on this mission?"

Cid chuckled.

Squall shrugged as he picked up his gunblade, ready to leave the room.

"If you wish. Meet me at the Ragnarok in an hour."

He left the room. As Cid heard the elevator doors open with a bing, he reached over and patted Xu on the shoulder.

"You are fond of the boy aren't you?"

Xu blushed.

"No, I would never!"

The Headmaster laughed.

**oooooooo**

Zell looked into the distance one last time.

"Come on Zell," Irvine said with a wave of his hand. "Commander Hissy Fit isn't gonna wait forever you know."

"No," Zell said as he kept his ground. "She said that she would be here."

Irvine shook his head, "I'm going in."

"Fine." Zell said stubbornly.

Irvine shrugged and walked up the steps into the Ragnarok, his Exeter over one shoulder.

Zell squinted at the fog then as he saw a form emerge.

And she came, walking slowly, shoulders drawn, hair down from their pigtails. It was strange to see her this way, her wavy brown hair loose about her shoulders. She lifted her face to him, it was still her. He just needed to look more carefully. It was the same broad smile, dimpled cheek, gentle brown eyes.

"You're going Zell?" She asked, "you will come back safely won't you?"

Zell nodded and took a nonchalant stance, curling one leg behind the other.

"I'll be back, Antha." He told her. "Don't worry about me."

She nodded and withdrew a magazine from the nook of her arm.

"I wanted to bring you a gift, Zell, for you to remember me by. Maybe this will help you on your journey."

She held the glossy pages of the Combat King 003 in both hands and reluctantly placed onto Zell's sweaty palms.

"I'm sure it will be handy," Zell told her with a cocky smile.

Antha hugged herself and looked him over.

"You will see Rinoa soon won't you?"

Zell nodded. "Yeah, Squall just can't seem to leave her alone." He chose his words carefully.

She pressed her lips together in understanding.

"Will you wish her luck for me?"

Zell felt his bottom lip tremble slightly as he watched her looking so forlorn, standing alone.

"I'm sure she already knows." Zell answered as he gently reached out and took the girl by her arm.

"Take care of yourself Antha. Alright?" he asked as he lifted her chin with his other hand.

Her eyes were closed halfway and her lashes, he had never noticed that they were so long. For a moment she was indescribably beautiful in his eyes. The way her lips were open a slit, just so that he could see the seductive glisten of her teeth. Her lips were like a half opened rose, full of the promise of a full bloom.

"Antha," he whispered. The words were like a kiss.

He bent closer. The words became a kiss.

"Don't," she muttered desperately, like a wild animal on the verge of fleeing.

"Antha," Zell said said in surprise as he reached for her.

"Just go. Go and come back fast." She turned then, her hair twirling, buoyant momentarily in the wind. She ran from him then, as though he was a ruby dragon waiting to dig into her flesh with his claws. Standing there, holding the magazine, Zell watched her disappear, wondering what in the world was wrong.

**oooooooo**

"Beautiful dreamer," Irvine sang quietly as he tapped Selphie's shoulder to the beat of the melody. "Awake unto me."

The night rushed past the windows of the Ragnarok as the spaceship cut across the desert plains of Esthar. Selphie sat in front of him, steering, as she tilted her head forward, in deep concentration. Xu was beside her, a cup of tea in hand as the small party took the night shift. It didn't matter actually who did, since no one was sleeping that night.

"Tell me some more about Quistis," Xu coaxed as she wrapped her cold fingers around the steaming tea.

"Do you remember anything about Quistis, Selphie?" Irvine asked, trying to spark some sort of memory within her.

"Steering." she reminded him.

Irvine scratched the back of his hand as he studied the face of night.

"Quistis," he said chasing his memory. "I remember she used to be bossy. She was always telling me to do stuff. It was always Irvine clean up this mess or Irvine wash your hands or something like that. Funny, I don't remember her telling Squall to do anything like that."

Xu chuckled as she sipped her tea.

"Tell me, Irvine," she said with a faraway look in her eye. "What was Squall like back then?"

"Well, I don't really know. He kept to himself a lot. He was always sitting by himself in the garden somewhere playing triple triad with himself or talking to Ellone. Now and then he would do something with Seifer or Quistis but that was it. I never spoke to him."

"Seifer?" Xu asked laughing. "Are you sure the GFs haven't been messing with your memory too? The last time I checked Squall and Seifer were going for each other's throats like two rabid dogs."

Irvine shifted from foot to foot, "no," he said. "Squall and Seifer used to be friends. I know that for a fact. I remember once they built this raft out of wood and Seifer was telling everyone that he was going to sail to Trabia with Squall as his first mate to look for his parents. We envied them of course. We all wanted out of there, not too many of use understood that our parents were dead. It was pretty pathetic."

"What happened?" Xu asked quietly as she realized Irvine was serious.

Irvine shrugged in a unsuccessful gesture of indifference.

"I think something happened to the two of them after Quistis was taken. Something snapped. Suddenly instead of seeing the two of them ganging up to beat up Zell, they were beating up each other. It got so bad that Edea and Cid had to keep them in separate rooms and all."

"So that's the beginning of their great rivalry?" Selphie asked somberly from her seat.

There was silence in the room for a moment as the three reflected on the past.

"Well Selfie," Irvine suddenly began in a more cheerful tone. "How is the Garden Festival coming?"

"I'm going to bring in a elephant!" Selphie exclaimed happily. "It will be great, it can be a costume thing. I've got the sheet music. You will come back to play the electric guitar won't you?"

"Sure," Irvine said. "Anything for my Selfie."

As they continued to talk enthusiastically about the upcoming celebration, Xu quietly left the room. Walking down the hallway of the second floor she heard Squall practicing with his gunblade beneath her. Standing at the rail, trying not to make a sound, she watched him. A smile found its way to her lips as she peeked through the rails. Funny, at three in the morning he was out here doing strenuous exercise. What a workaholic.

Xu watched his naked forearms swing the blade through the air in a few well timed swipes. He had tossed his leather jacket in a pile in the corner, along with his gloves. Strangely in all the time she had worked with him she had never seen him with any article of clothing removed, the closest she had came was when he took his gloves off to examine the map of Dollet beach. .

She watched simply because it was forbidden to do so, taking secret pleasure in contemplating how mad he would be if he realized that he was not alone. She leaned her cheek against the cold metal rail and watched him leaning against his gunblade, in a resting position. With a quick swivel he turned and marched over to where he had dropped his clothing.

Everything about him was fast and instantaneous, just like his thought process. Xu remembered how eloquently he had presented his ideas back in FH. Somehow she was always attracted to intelligence not muscle. The man before her was indeed the end all of mental capability.

She had found her match but she had long accepted that he was never to be hers. That was not something that deterred her from standing beside him and admiring all his glory. So she could not have him forever, a little while on this lonely night was the next best thing.

He sat down in the corner, breathing hard. He reached into the pocket of his leather pants and pulled out a small object. She realized as he began to lay them out that they were cards, triple triad cards. What a contradictory picture he made then, a hardy tightly muscled warrior, bending over the fragile time worn cards as he laid them out delicately one by one at his feet.

He paused suddenly as one of the cards caught his eye. He sat there staring at it for a long time as though all the secrets of the world were written on the tiny picture. Xu wondered curiously what card it was to have absorbed him so. He placed it back into the deck finally with all the gentleness of a mother tending to a newborn child.

He got up lazily, slinging his jacket over one shoulder and trudged away. It was a good thing he did because she was getting tired of crouching there. She stood up and stretched when the coast was clear.

"Xu? What are you doing?"

Xu nearly jumped out of her skin as she looked over the rail. She clenched her chest in relief as she realized that it was just Zell.

"Nothing," she responded.

"C'mon," Zell said. "You look scared out of your wits."

"Nothing!" She insisted, unable to wipe the coy smirk off her face.

Zell shrugged.

"What are you doing up at this ungodly hour of the night?" Xu asked playfully.

Zell watched her suspiciously, unable to understand why she had slipped from her usual serious facade.

"I couldn't sleep. I keep seeing her whenever I close my eyes." Zell said despondently.

Xu nodded sympathetically.

" All I see is Antha, with her hair wild in the wind. I can't think of anything else."

"You poor lovesick puppy," Xu teased.

"What do you know?" Zell asked suddenly angry. "You've never been in love, Xu."

"How do you know that?" Xu asked with a flirtatious undertone to her voice.

"It's always Cid this and Cid that with you." Zell responded. "You and Cid are in your own safe little universe of duty and purpose. Ah!" Zell waved his hand at her with resignation. "Why do I even bother talking to you?"

Xu smiled sadly as he left her alone in the room.

**oooooooo**

"Squall," Xu said as the group stood on the bridge. "The firearms are ready, just say when."

"Woohoo!" Selphie exclaimed as she raised a fist into the air. "We're going in!"

Irvine scratched his chin and watched the demonic structure floating in mid air. It was hard to imagine sweet mild mannered Quistis commanding that giant blocky structure but as his mind drifted back to the sharp lipped Queen, such was not so hard to see.

Distracted by a reverie, Irvine was startled when a storm of bullets came from the Ragnarok's interior. He smiled then since he always found such brutality fascinating. The Ragnarok reached out its arms. In a moment of incredulous beauty and terror, it ripped into the side of Lunatic Pandora. The force field crumbled as though it was made of gingerbread, and the Ragnarok's belly touched the floor within the laboratory.

"Whoa," Zell said recovering from his awe. "That was something."

"Let's do it again!" Selphie yelled with glee.

"There is no time to lose," Squall said urgently as he turned to leave.

The party exited the space ship and walked into the destroyed room which they had come careening into. Zell tightened his gloves nervously as Irvine patted his gun. The room was empty and quiet to such an extent it made them wish there were a few battles. The phrase walking straight into a trap crossed Irvine's mind.

Squall's thoughts were torn away from leadership for a moment when he notice a white object on the ground an inch from his toe. He bent down, disregarding what his teammates probably thought of him and picked up the piece of fluff.

A feather.

She was here already. She had left her trademark for him to find. A feather from an angel wing, bidding him to come find her. That was her style wasn't it? Placing all the clues by his feet and allowing him to choose whether he wanted to follow. Never doubt my love for you, she said. She didn't tell him never to doubt _his _love for her but hers for him. So even in the face of death she had left him that choice. Love me, don't love me, just don't make your decision based on the fear that I may not love you in return.

Rinoa.

He squeezed the feather in his palm, crushing it against the leather.

"Squall?" Zell asked. "Hello, you awake?"

"I think he's dreaming," Irvine remarked.

"Whatever," he replied and began to lead the SeeDs across the ruins of the strange room.

"This place is creepy," Selphie said.

**oooooooo**

"Child." The voice came within her head, softly at first, so soft that she thought it was only the silence playing tricks on her ears. It came louder and she could no longer claim it was not there.

"Child, sweet angel," the voice hissed once more.

"What do you want?" Rinoa asked the voice silently as she tugged the Odine bracelet on her wrist. It would not budge. She had tried every trick in the book on it. From grease to hidden switches to sharp cutting instruments, the bracelet was here to stay.

"You mother bids you to obey her," the voice continued.

"You are not my mother!" Rinoa replied throwing her voice loudly into the recesses of her mind. "My mother was Julia Heartilly!"

"Your mortal mother. . " the voice said. "Meaningless, pitiful, weak."

Rinoa pressed her hand against her head as though she was suffering from a migraine.

"Get out of my head!" she screamed.

The witch laughed.

"I no longer need to ask permission to enter."

"No!" Rinoa muttered out loud in bitter dismay. Unable to tolerate this hideous state of mind, she began to run. She fled in vain.

"Well well, look who's here," someone proclaimed behind her.

Rinoa turned in surprise to see Seifer standing behind her. His trench coat was filthy, there was dirt encrusted on his face, in his hair. His eyes burned with a demonic light of one who has wandered far from the safe reaches of humanity, yet truthfully, no matter how frightening he looked he could not compare to Squall's look of malicious irritation. No one could.

"Don't tell me, Ellone got away."

"I'm not helping you two anymore!" Rinoa answered. "Get out of my head!" she screamed but then proceeded to break down in a torrent of whimpers. "Get out, please get out."

"Awwww aren't you the poor suffering traitor. What was it that you told me that day on duel hill? Something about how when you join a sorceress you can't ever leave?"

Rinoa threw her hands away from their place at her ears and held his eyes with defiance.

"Where's the hissy boy huh? He left you for another whore?"

"Seifer," Rinoa finally responded with her old sadistic smile. "Would you like to know a secret?"

"What? That pansy boy is having an affair with chicken shit?"

"No, it's better than that." Rinoa allowed her wicked smile to grow wider. "You passed the SeeD exams, Seifer. Squall Leonhart passed you. It was I who failed you!"

She took to her heels and tried to run then, to take him by surprise but he caught her arm roughly and shook her.

"What did you say!"

"I did it," she confessed boldly. "I spread that rumor about Garden that you failed. I fooled you. It was me! You are a SeeD right now, a SeeD and a knight. What a bloody fool you are."

"I don't believe you, bitch. You are just trying to protect him, your little pimp."

She laughed once more, in absolute glee.

"Ultimecia ordered it, Seifer. She wanted you to fail so that you would join us, so that we could use you for our dark purpose. Never were you closer to your dream than where Squall Leonhart placed and never are you farther now that you have choose to follow me instead!"

His face was frozen and his hand clamped down harder on the tender flesh of her arm. Harder and harder until she could hardly bear it. It was then however, that their solitude was interrupted.

"Why is this place all green?" a muffled voice came from across the divide. Selphie.

Seifer shoved her aside suddenly and with one last dark glare, he turned and left.

Rinoa stood there and for a moment in her head there was silence.

**oooooooo**

"Squall, this place is deserted." Xu whispered as they wandered through the iridescent green tunnel.

"It's a trap," Irvine stated. "It has to be, I bet Quistis isn't even here."

"No," Squall mumbled under his breath. "She's here."

Squall glanced up to the shell like structure in the nook of the second floor. He raised his arm and point.

"There."

"In there?" Xu asked widening her eyes. "Are you sure?"

He scowled. "Of course not."

Forgetting his place as a leader, he bullheadedly began to head in the direction of the tiny doorway surrounded by glittering stones of a multitude of colors.

"It looks pretty," Selphie remarked and made a mental note to have something like that in the Garden Festival.

As the small group stepped inside they realized that it was deserted. The room was empty except for a modest throne sitting in the very back against the wall.

"I don't think anyone is here," Xu said.

"Guys do you hear something?" Selphie asked as she stopped in her tracks.

"Umm sorry that must be my stomach." Zell said sheepishly.

"No. . ." Selphie said, "that's not it. Something like metal against metal."

Selphie looked up curiously and wandered into the dark hallways. Her heels clicked loudly on the tiled floor, too loudly. She screamed suddenly as a giant robotic figure came crashing down upon her. Irvine, with cat like reflexes, shoved her out of harm's way as the needle sharp bottom of the Mobile Type 8 descended upon the congregation.

"It's a giant ugly robot!" Zell yelled as he took a few steps back in shock.

"So the queen has replaced men with machinery?" Xu asked in confusion.

"Shut up and fight," Squall grumbled as he attacked the machine with thundaga.

Thundaga ripped a hole in its broad metallic chest but it did not bring the monster down. The probes on its shoulders detached and spun around mid air.

Xu's eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen.

"Irvine! Selphie! Get out of the way now!" Xu yelled.

Irvine stumbled up and was about to pull Selphie with him when the Mobile Type 8 attacked with Corona. Lucky for them however, Zell had rushed forward and cast protect on the two.

The machine drew back then, preparing to use Medigo Flame when suddenly a black hole emerged behind it. The Mobile Type 8 began spinning wildly as it disappeared into the chasm.

"Whoa!" Zell exclaimed. "Did someone cast death or something?"

"No," Squall said. "That's not death."

"It's called degenerator." a voice said from the back of the room.

The group stood in silence as she turned. The woman stood there in a dress of pink. In one hand she held a gold whip, coiled elegantly in her slender fingers. Her hair, still the color of mid day sunshine the way it had been in her youth, was clipped to the back of her head. Two loose strands hugged her cheeks and came to a curling end just above her breast. Her vest complemented her figure as it hugged the slim curve of her waist, opening just above her stomach for a glimpse of her flat mid section. Around her arms were a pair of tight leather gloves the color of polished mahogany.

As much as the attire she wore was plain her presence was one of royalty. Her eyes glittered a fierce blue, revealing the fact that she was a woman who was used to having her orders followed. Her lips were pressed together in a authoritative frown as though nothing, not even a gift made from the moon in the sky, could please her.

"The sorceress Rinoa," she said calmly. "So you have come."

The congregation of SeeDs turned then as they realized that they were not alone.

The sorceress in blue stood quietly at the doorway, having followed them here all along. She radiated darkness whereas the queen was light. The artificial illumination from the outside streamed into her hair casting a eerie glow into her face. The shadows formed chasms beneath her eyes and darkness in her cheeks.

Her black hair curled around her cheeks and swept into her eyes in a cloak of darkness. Her arms hung loosely at her side, the feathery shooting star attached to one arm, Odine's bracelet attached to the other.

She stepped forward, keeping her malicious eyes on the queen. Her steps were light but the sound echoed resonantly throughout the tiny chamber. She was here, the serpent from the swamps, to meet the majestic queen who could only be compared to the phoenix of the sky.

"You will refuse me a honorable battle?" the dark witch asked, gesturing to the jewelry around her wrist.

The queen watched her intently.

"Honor?" the queen asked spitefully. "You dare to speak to me of honor? You who have slain babies in their cradles, mothers in their prayer, children begging for mercy? I cannot think of anything less honorable than to give you a fair chance at slaying another slew of innocents."

Rinoa nodded then in understanding.

"I won't go easily into the dark night."

"I know," the queen replied. "I never planned to allow you the mercy of going easily."

The queen lifted her hand and a giant ball of red appeared in her palm. For a moment the huge monstrosity was suspended in mid air, crackling with all the light of a burning star. Before Rinoa could lift her hands to shield herself, the queen hurled the sphere at the helpless girl, pitching her across the floor. The black witch however would not be so easily defeated. She got onto her knees and stumbled back up into a erect position. The queen's eyes flared into the same shade as her hair as she raised her hand to summon a string of Meteors.

Rinoa looked up with defiance but fear as the huge rocks crashed into her chest and shoulder. She fell backwards, finally, taken off her feet. Kneeling there on the ground, Rinoa clenched her stomach in pain as a string of blood dripped from her lips. Her shoulder was a mess of red where the rock had collided against her tender pale skin. She was bleeding from her right temple and the crimson river ran down the side of her face drenching her face in burning ruby.

It was then when Squall stepped before her, before Quistis could finish her off with one last Ultima.

Quistis placed her flaming eyes on the dark haired boy.

"Get out of the way," she ordered viciously.

Silence.

Squall drew his gunblade and pointed it at her.

Her voice was touched by a tone of sorrow suddenly as she spoke to him.

"Get out of the way, Squall. I don't want to kill you but I will to get to her."

He flinched slightly as he heard her utter his name but maintained his air of defiance.

"I want to challenge you." He whispered.

She chuckled. "If you fight me Squall, the battle will not be long. Don't be foolish. I don't want step over your defeated body to get to her. Such embarrassment does not suit you."

He withdrew his gunblade suddenly and touched its tip to the ground in a gesture similar to surrender. His eyes, however, burned with a new zeal that was a world away from retreat.

"I challenge you to game of triple triad." He stated with a gesture of his hand. "If I am the victor you will spare her life, if you are, I will step back and allow you to do as you wish."

The queen watched him. Then a smile, almost whimsical in quality touched her face.

"But Squall, you've never beat me before."

He shrugged.

"Do you accept or not?"

She nodded, silent tears touching her eyes. Times long passed touched her mind as she silently roamed down forgotten paths of yesteryear.

"I accept."

She turned and walked to her throne where she reached into her flamboyant velvet cloak and pulled out a stack of time worn cards. She ran her thumb over them gently relishing the old feeling of content right before the vicious game began.

"Over there," she ordered Squall as she pointed to the center of the room. "On the floor, just like old times."

He followed obediently as he drew out his own cards from the pocket of his leather pants. He fingered them in his palm as he took a seat opposite from her on the ground.

Absorbed in her shuffling, she absently tucked a strand of gold hair behind a ear. When she realized that he was watching her she looked up and smiled mischievously.

"Shuffle your cards Squall," she ordered as she did so long ago. "We are playing random, closed, plus, wall, same, and elemental."

He nodded as he couldn't help but follow her orders. The child that had died within him fourteen years ago had awoken. It was just the two of them again, sitting on the steps of the orphanage, chattering mindlessly lost in their own world. The fact that they had spent fourteen years apart was forgotten. SeeD, sorceress, queen, such terms meant nothing to the two tiny innocents, absorbed in the wonder of their simple game.

He pulled off his gloves and shuffled the cards, his nicely manicured fingers cutting the deck and dealing out five cards. Quistis did the same with hers. Around them, the four SeeDs gathered although the two participants took no notice of their audience.

She frowned in dismay suddenly.

"The grid," she mumbled.

"Here," Irvine said kindly as he offered the queen a moon stone. "Use this I'm sure it's just like chalk."

"Thank you," Quistis said kindly as she took the stone from him and began to create the lines of the grid. She thoughtfully licked her lips as she worked, slipping into the role of the silent queen once more.

"I'll go first to give you an edge," Quistis said. "But that's the only edge I'm giving you."

He shrugged as he formed a fan with his cards before him careful to shield them from the eyes of those around him.

"Whatever."

Quistis studied the grid intensely before she placed a Blue Dragon card in the top center square. She hesitated slightly but drew her hand back and placed it on her lap.

Squall placed a Gerogero card on the spot left of her dragon and flipped over her card.

She smiled. "You have gotten better. Hiding the bad numbers against the side I see."

"You learn a few things in fourteen years."

"I see your choice of women hasn't improved as much as your card skills."

"Let's just play the game," he ordered her gruffly.

She chuckled. "No one has talked to me with a tone like that in ages," she responded as she placed an Ochu card in the very center of the grid.

"Are you purposely letting him win?" Irvine asked as he studied her seemingly suicidal move.

Quistis ignored Irvine as she watched Squall contemplate her move. He walked straight into her trap as he placed a Krysta beneath her Ochu and flipped it over. It was 5 to 0 now in his favor.

She held a card up, teasing him as she rubbed it along its edge with her thumb and index finger. She smiled again, with the coyness of a weasel as she lowered her hand.

"I see you still don't understand the plus rule," she teased as she placed her Diablos card in the rightmost middle box. Smirking, she turned his Blitz card, the Ochu card he had captured and the Blue Dragon card. Finally it was 4 to 2, in her favor.

She nodded knowingly, not believing that it was possible now for her to lose since she still had a Minimog card.

Zell smacked his forehead.

"Squall!" He whined. "Stupid stupid."

"Shut up," Xu ordered. "It's okay if you lose Squall . . "

Squall shrugged as he lifted a card.

"Times have changed, Quistis."

He placed the Gilgamesh card in the box under the Diablos and worked a plus and a combo. He turned over the Krysta card, the Ochu and the Diablos. It was 5 to 2 now, in his favor. Quistis realized that she had already lost. It did not matter where she placed the Minimog card, whether it was beside the Ochu or beside the Krysta. It was only a matter of losing by how much now.

Wearily, she placed the Minimog under the Gerogero and turned it over.

The game was over, he placed his last card down but what that was no longer mattered.

Quistis stared at the grid, somewhat incredulously, with sorrow and joy that he had finally beat her. Joy because she had succeeded as a teacher. Sorrow because of what she now had to do.

"I can't let you take her." She whispered to Squall as she looked up.

"Why?" He asked her. "We had a deal, Quistis."

Sadly she reached over and picked up the Gilgamesh card with which he had used to beat her. She held the ancient paper in the fingers as she studied it for a moment.

"Our deal was that I would let her live. I never said that I would let her go," she replied.

Squall watched her for a moment, his eyes freezing over. He pressed his lips together as though he was trying to keep himself from saying he would regret but he didn't have to say anything.

A girl cried out from the doorway of the chamber.

All the eyes in the room turned to the door except Rinoa who leaned against the wall in a dazed state. She had watched their game of cards in a dreamlike way. Ultimecia was whispering sweet nothings in her ear,

_Look at the mortal, he loves you?_ Ultimecia asked mockingly._ Does he? Really?_

_I don't know!_ Rinoa answered back._ Stop tormenting me. I won't be your slave anymore._

The witch laughed her cackling chuckle.

_Poor child, my dear child. Look at him in the distance as the life bleeds out of you. A slave you never were to me, but a pitiful one now you are to him._

_Shut up!_ Rinoa hissed as she pressed her bloody hands against her ears. _I won't listen you Ultimecia. I won't!_

But she could only try in vain to chase the voice from her ears. The more she resisted the stronger it grew. The voice grew louder and louder until she couldn't hear her own thoughts anymore. She was gone. Ultimecia stood up where Rinoa had fallen.

At the doorway stood Seifer, holding Ellone in his arms. He had a gunblade pressed to the girl's neck.

"Squall!" Ellone cried out as her face twisted in pain from the razor sharp edge of the blade.

Seifer pressed Ellone closer to himself and began to back away, closer to where Rinoa had fallen. As he came within a few feet of the dark sorceress he shook Ellone roughly.

"Use your power on her!" he ordered. "Or I'll slit your throat from ear to ear!"

"No!" Quistis yelled as Squall grabbed her arm before she could use her power to destroy all three of them.

"I'll take care of this," he growled.

Quistis glared at him but her defiance subsided momentarily. Squall watched in confusion as Rinoa got to her feet. Her eyes flashed yellow even though she was wearing the bracelet. She reached out to Ellone with a wicked smirk on her face, an expression that he had never seen before coloring her face.

"Do it now," the witch ordered.

"No! I won't" Ellone screamed with tears in her eyes.

"Ultimecia," Seifer said as he was barely able to hold the girl in his arms.

"Ellone," Squall suddenly said surprising the best of them. "Do as he asks."

Ellone stared at him with a completely blank look on her face.

"What?" She choked out.

Seifer was equally surprised by Squall's sudden request.

"Do it, send the sorceress back in time." Squall said.

"Are you insane!" Quistis asked as she grabbed him roughly. "I won't tolerate this anymore."

But nothing the others said really mattered. Squall looked into Ellone's face and a silent conversation passed between them. Between brother and sister, a conversation more intimate than any of words had been for a decade.

And Ellone did as he asked.

A green wave of power passed from her body into Rinoa's possessed flesh. Rinoa collapsed on the floor, in the small puddle of blood which she had bled. She laid still in a death state. Behind Rinoa and Seifer, the wall dissolved as time compression began its course.

Seifer smiled cunningly at Squall.

"You're an idiot." he said as he shoved Ellone into Squall's arms. Seifer reached down and picked up Rinoa's limp body before he entered the portal of time compression.

Squall helped Ellone back onto her feet.

"Thank you Ellone," he whispered to her as they stood close to each other. "For Winhill, for Rinoa and finally for this. This is goodbye."

Ellone stared into his eyes for a moment and smiled through her tears.

"So you've finally forgiven me for the decade of silence? So you are my brother again?"

"Ellone," he said, "I never stopped being your brother."

She nodded joyfully as she hugged him ferociously.

"Squall," she said as she held him at an arm's length, "Don't make your peace with me because you think you are walking to your death. I don't want to believe that it will end the same way it had before. I will see you when this is over. Go rescue Rinoa, beat the sorceress and complete fate. I know this time, in Winhill, you will not fail. This time there will be a happy ending."

He shrugged. "You were always the optimist."

Ellone looked to Quistis and nodded.

"It was always you." Ellone said simply.

"What?" Quistis asked in confusion.

"You were his lost childhood. Now that you have returned, Squall can go back to normal. He wouldn't be so cold and distant anymore. Right Squall? You've waited fourteen years."

"Whatever," he said although there was truth in her words that he did not want to admit. Avoiding the subject, Squall looked to Xu.

"Will you Xu?" he asked. "Take Ellone back to Garden?"

Xu saluted him.

"Yes commander. Just one request."

"What?" he asked.

"Take care of yourself okay?" She asked as she reached over to take Ellone by arm. She beamed at Squall once more and to her surprise, Squall saluted her back.

Reluctantly, Xu led Ellone out of the room.

"Squall . . " Zell asked. "Are we going to be jumping into that hole thingie?"

He was ignored as always.

Squall reached over and grabbed Quistis's arm.

"Come on."

"Where?" she asked in a irritated tone, "where are we going?"

"To fight the sorceress and save your people."

She paused then as she met Squall's smiling eyes.

"You know Squall I care for all people equally but sometimes there are some, two actually, who are more . . .. .. Do you understand?"

"Yes," he said as he pulled her closer to him. "I always knew that."

She smiled tenderly. "Good, let's go then. What are we waiting for?"

She looked back at the ignored members of the party.

"Irvine," she said without hesitation.

"Zell" she named with a little more thought.

"And you .. ." Quistis said with a frown on her face. "I'm sorry . ."

"Selphie!" Selphie exclaimed. "Don't you remember me Quistis?"

"I'm sorry . . yeah I think I do. Well, guys let's go. Any tips for your followers Squall?" Quistis asked.

"Love, Courage and Friendship," he muttered choking up the words from the dreamworld. "Remember that and you should be okay."

Quistis grinned, "Squall you're lucky I'm here or you would lead us all to our deaths. Everyone, you need to believe in yourselves and each other. In the time compressed world the only way to survive is through love friendship and courage. If you believe in the existence of each other than you will exist. The only other path is death."

Irvine nodded. "Yeah I can't imagine Squall saying that. Good thing you're here Quistis."

"Whatever," Squall said.

Turning and taking Quistis's hand in his own, he led her into the portal.

The last battle had begun.


	18. chapter16

Chapter 17 - The Meaning of Friendship

Rinoa's eyes fluttered open as she smelled a musky scent underneath her nose. She jerked up in bed suddenly and realized that she was not in her father's mansion. She moaned in pain as her shoulder sent a bolt of agony into her chest. The memory came back her then, of fighting Quistis, of watching Squall play triple triad for her life. She reached over and placed her hand over her shoulder and was surprised to find that the wound had closed. It was still sore but no longer serious. She stumbled out of bed, trying her best to walk on her unsteady legs. Her head was pounding with a terrible headache from the blow she took to her temple. However that too had stopped bleeding. Laid out on the chair was her blue frock, cleaned and dried. The blood stains were gone. She gently slipped it over her festering shoulder and clasped the button in the front with shaky fingers. Every inch of her was aching, from her toes to the root of her hair.

"Where am I?" She wandered as she glanced around the room. The walls were dark and lite alight with a multitude of candles. She stumbled back to the bed and found her way to a window. She pushed back the velvet drapery and realized that she was in a fortress of some sort. Outside, storm clouds surrounded the castle in a demonic halo. There was no escape by window she noted as she studied the jaggared precipice.

"You're awake." a masculine voice said behind her.

Rinoa jumped in fear as she turned to see Seifer standing by the door. The candles threw shadows onto his face making him look less than human. Yet she was glad to see him, a familiar face in the light of all this diabolic scenery.

"What am I doing here?" She asked trying to keep her old confidence and deceit but that was beyond resurrection.

"Ultimecia told me that I could have you for whatever purpose I wish." He walked closer to her and grabbed her roughly by the wrist. "Whatever purpose."

She chuckled bitterly trying to maintain her air of confidence.

"What are you going to do Seifer rape me?"

He shoved her roughly onto the bed with blazing fury coloring his cheeks.

"You're lucky I don't want you. Never wanted you."

She nodded with the ends of her smile trembling. She would not be able to maintain it for long.

"What do you want then?" she asked feeling a lump in her throat.

"The truth. Tell me the truth for once."

She looked away.

"You've been lying to me for too long." he continued with a sorrowful undertone to his voice. "You owe me this Rinoa."

"I did it, me and Ultimecia. You made it into SeeD, Seifer, I'm sorry."

"No," he said taking a step back. "No, that's not what I want to know."

"Then what is it?" she asked.

"Why Squall? Why would you risk your life for him when you won't even so much as smile for me. Don't tell me it's love or some sentimental crap. Give me the truth for once."

"Because Seifer I couldn't stand you and your empty ambition. You never really knew what you wanted so anyone could tell you what you it was that you desired. Adolescent whims, Seifer, that's all your dreams were."

"No they were not!" he ordered with force.

She laughed bitterly.

"You wanted to be a hero, Seifer, did you? Yet only one trying to help you achieve that goal was the one you designated as the villain. I was the monster, Seifer. It was me all along."

"Squall Leonhart is no hero," Seifer replied spitefully. "He's just a coward refusing to take the blame for his own actions. But why am I bothering to tell you this? You're a heartless witch."

Seifer turned his glaze away and looked elsewhere. He appeared very vulnerable suddenly, very much like a child. She suddenly wanted to embrace him to take his hand and lead him back to the apple orchards. It was all a dream, she would tell him. A nightmare dreamt on a lazy Sunday afternoon lying in the meadow counting the clouds.

Yet she knew that those days would never come again.

In life there are lines that divide people. There are some boundaries that when crossed can never be uncrossed. When you ventured into places where others can't go. Those unfortunates that do are doomed to spent eternity searching for a way back to the past. That's what he was to her, the bygone yesteryear.

"I hate you." he told her casually

"I know." she said as she looked at him. "I know."

"I hate you so much right now, I could kill you with my bare hands," he muttered nonchalantly as he looked away. "But I'm not. I know about Winhill, I know that your days are already numbered. I could only pity you."

"I don't need your pity," Rinoa answered. "I have too much of it already. . self pity. Seifer, I just wish things didn't have to be this way."

"No," he said as his voice gained in malice. "You don't. Don't give me that crap. You know love it this way, witch."

"I guess it's too late for me to convince you otherwise."

He turned his eyes to her then, with a devilish light filtering into his face.

"I'm through with goodness, Rinoa. I am evil. My inner corruption is all consuming. How the tables have turned on you, sorceress." he reached out in a flash and grabbed her by her chin. His stone hand squeezed her jaw with all his strength and anger. She moaned and dug her nails into his arm but he would not budge. He pressed her back against the wooden post of the bed and breathed into her face.

"No one is allowed into the confidence of a sorceress and allowed to leave," he hissed into her face, repeating the very same words which she had said to him that day on duel hill. "But look on the bright side, you'll be with me forever," he continued mockingly, twisting the words into a horrific travesty of their meaning. He threw her onto the bed like a ragged doll. Sitting down beside her, he traced a path from her lip to her breast while she watched helplessly.

"I've changed too," he told her mocking as he firmly grasped the two sides of her frock and ripped it open. "Maybe I'll just take you after all. Atrocious, isn't it? I am the devil."

"No," she said. "I don't believe you!"

He slapped her roughly.

"Shut up."

He kissed her with all the tenderness of a rape and pressed himself against her. She squirmed under his weigh beating her fists against him but that only served to bring a smile onto his face as he relished her agony. Suddenly her teeth clamped down on his lip and bit him so hard as to draw blood. He drew back in rage, his eyes glowing with a psychotic light. There was fear on her face as she watched him wipe the blood from his mouth.

Scowling, he smacked her hard across the face. Rinoa's head jerked back from the blow and she was out cold. He sat there for a moment, wearily, watching her. After a brief period of hesitation, he spat onto the carpet, trying to rid his mouth of the venom of her kiss.

"You fool," he told her limp body. "I wouldn't have taken you even if you begged me."

Walking over to the piano, Seifer stood in contemplation. It was better this way, he assured himself. Would he really have wanted to spend the rest of his life owing Squall Leonhart this great favor? Squall Leonhart was his sworn enemy, in the end perhaps, this path was indeed the one better fitting of his stubborn pride.

The queen of Esthar, but she entered into the picture. Quistis. His long lost childhood friend. Somehow, he knew as he tapped the ancient piano and turned it on, that her presence had just changed everything.

"I think we still have some time to finish the job," Squall muttered under his breath as the congregation stepped out of Edea's Orphanage. In the distance the huge formidable stone fortress of Ultimecia loomed in mid air, connected to the ground only with a series of thick chains.

"So the is the future," Quistis said in awe as she allowed her eyes to explore the bleak surroundings. "This is where the sorceress rules. It's terrible."

"Whoa," Zell said plainly as he watched in awe.

"Selphie," Irvine asked, somewhat disconnected. "Why do you look so confused?"

"This is Edea's orphanage?" She asked as she looked about herself at the crumbled mess. "This is where we grew up?"

"Yeah." Irvine replied as he gestured to the bedroom. "That's where we slept. Over there in the garden we used to play. And the ocean, there used to be an ocean here. . "

Selphie shook her head.

"I don't remember. I don't remember any of it Irvine."

Irvine scratched his head as a sickening feeling began to fester in his chest.

"I'm sure .. it will just take some time, Selphie." He assured her as they walked faster to catch up with the rest of the group which was already climbing the chains.

"What are we going to do now?" Quistis asked as they stood before the large mansion.

"I guess we'll see when we enter." Squall replied as he examined his group of comrades. "This is the last battle." He assured them. "It will be over after this."

Zell nodded vigorously as he slammed his fist into his palm.

"C'mon, let's go get that witch."

"This is the creepiest place I've ever seen," Selphie said as she moved closer to Irvine.

"Do'cha worry Selphie," Irvine assured her. "I'll take care of ya."

Quistis frowned.

"Squall, will destroying the witch in the future end all of this? Time compression and all?"

Squall shrugged. "We can only hope. There is no other way."

She nodded. "Just one thing Squall . . when you go to find Rinoa, will you take me with you? There are a few things I need to say to Seifer, just a few things."

Squall studied her in her sudden embarrassment and began to realize something which he had not seen before.

"Alright," he promised.

He turned and walked up the stairs, leading his troops to the door. Upon opening it, a heavy layer of mist came swirling about their legs. It was freezing, like stepping into a frozen pond. Inside the castle it was cold as the bitter winter's ice. He heard music, faintly somewhere in the castle. The virtuoso ability of a pianist, rolling out crescendo after crescendo.

"Squall," Zell suddenly remarked. "Something's wrong, I don't think my junctions are working anymore."

"What?" he asked frowning, drawing his eyes away from the gothic interior of the castle.

"Yeah," Selphie said, "my GFs are gone too."

"What is that?" Irvine suddenly interrupted as they saw a pair of eyes approaching them in the darkness.

"A lion!" Selphie suddenly exclaimed as the thing stepped into the light.

Squall drew his gunblade.

"A sphinx," he corrected.

"I am Ultimecia's servant," he spoke in a brittle voice like stone rubbing against stone. "How dare you trespass on my territory to seek your powers."

Into the light appeared a monstrous claw thick with curling black nails as he swiped at Quistis. She jumped back and tried to cast a spell on him using her fearsome sorceress's power but nothing came.

Before the paw could descend on the blond queen, Squall attacked with his blade, digging it deep into the monster's glowing face. The monster grew infuriated as he lashed his claws out madly at the boy but a shot wheezed through the air and embedded itself between the Sphinx's eyes. He collapsed on the floor dead.

Irvine gave Squall a cocky look.

"Blades are outdated, man, get yourself a gun."

"Shut up," Squall grumbled.

Quistis got back to her feet and dusted herself off, her eyes were glowing even though her powers were not functioning.

"We need to split into two parties," she said entering the role of the queen once more. "Selphie, Irvine, Zell, seek out the other servants and unseal our powers. I for one am not eager to fight the sorceress without my magic."

"Alright" Irvine said with a tip of his hat, "if they're all like this guy it should take no time."

"You just got lucky," Zell complained.

"Luck had nothing to do with it, it's skills I tell you." Irvine said happily.

Quistis ignored him.

"Squall and I will go to find Rinoa, we'll meet back here when the jobs are done."

Irvine bowed gracefully, still basking in his glory then he turned and led Selphie and Zell up the grand staircase.

"Don't keep up waiting too long," Irvine said with a playful smirk on his face.

After they were gone Quistis turned to Squall.

"Where do you want to start looking?" she asked.

"The music," he said. "I wonder where it's coming from."

"You believe the music will lead us to them?"

"It's worth a try," he remarked.

And so they began to walk from the front foyer following the hall to the left.

"Squall," Quistis asked as they wandered deeper into the haunted castle. "What happened after I left, between you and Seifer?"

"I don't know," Squall replied as a hint of sorrow appeared on his enigmatic features. "After they took you, Ellone was sent away. I was alone in the orphanage for a long time. Things happened, but I just didn't care anymore."

Quistis nodded as she reached out touch him with her willowy fingers.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't there. I wish I could have been with you when you were alone."

He gently removed her hand from his shoulder and continued to walk. The music was growing louder, closer.

"I have Rinoa now," he muttered to her. "I think she needs me but she's afraid of you. She's afraid that your radiance will draw me back to you."

Quistis paused as she held her whip in both hands and twisted it nervously. There was a moment of silence between them as the draperies were blown back from the wind that swept through the ruined windows. Outside, lightening cracked open the skies and lite up the halls in sporadic fits of anger.

"Do you want to come back to me, Squall?" Quistis asked tentatively.

"I don't think I can, Quistis," he responded. "Ellone was right, I've searched for you because you were my lost childhood but in the end I think I always knew that such a thing was illusion. I can't go back not from where I am now."

"I see," Quistis replied. "So you believe that Rinoa can give you the understanding you desire. That she could stand beside you and the two of you would find contentment in darkness."

"No," he said as he continued to walk. "Rinoa still isn't sure what she wants but maybe one day I can love her as an equal. I guess that's what she gave me, hope."

"I see," Quistis said in understanding. "Squall, I think I'm finally beginning to understand your affection for her. Despite her greed, her villainy and her gaping faults, I think I am beginning to see how you could care for her. Because I . . ." She trailed off then as she realized that he was no longer paying attention to her.

"Over there," he pointed out, "it's coming from that room."

She nodded.

"Seifer's in there. I know he is. Let me talk to him. He'll listen to me."

Squall decided wisely not to argue.

Quistis glanced into the dark chamber, her eyes found the piano first, playing in the corner by phantom fingers. Her eyes found Rinoa next, a speck of white laying on the dusty ancient bed. She absorbed all this before she brazenly stepped into the room. She looked about her, reminding herself that she was still queen, that even without powers she had nothing to fear.

Her heart was pounding so rapidly she could hear it in her ears.

Clenching her whip tightly in her fingers, she was taken back for a moment when she saw a figure in white standing in the corner, his back to her.

"So you've come for her. ." he began.

"No, Seifer," Quistis said stumbling over her words at first, "I've come for you."

Lifting an eyebrow, he turned. His face was a mass of shadows as he watched her. He was irritated that she was here but at the same time curious.

"Quistis," he said, tasting the dormant word on his lips, "so bossy little Quistis has become a queen."

"But you Seifer," she began "what happened to-"

"Shut up" he snapped, interrupting her.

Any other woman would have swallowed such an insult but not her. Her brows knitted suddenly as she slipped back into the role of the queen.

"Where I come from Seifer, people listen when I speak. So now, you will not interrupt me when I am talking!"

He was taken back for a moment by her sharp response. He shrugged submissively as though he was purposely humoring her.

"The Seifer I knew was full of dreams and good intentions. He was my hero. Do you know how hard it is for me to accept that this is what you've become?"

"You mean full of childish whims and unrealistic expectations."

"Who told you that? Rinoa Heartilly?" Quistis asked. "That sounds like something she would say, not you."

"It doesn't matter because the old Seifer is dead, Quistis." he snapped at her. "He died when you abandoned him for that worthless ungrateful little brat. I'm the face of evil. Don't talk to me like you know me. Things change in fourteen years."

"Really?" she asked. "When you spared Ellone's life in Lunatic Pandora was that a part of your 'evil' plan? When you saved Rinoa from my wrath in Esthar was that 'evil' too? How about now as you leave the piano playing waiting for her friends to come, is that 'evil' as well?"

He turned away.

"Seifer," she continued. "Stop this nonsense. I remember a time when we were friends, the three of us. Squall, I was his sister before he found himself a sorceress and became my enemy. If I can find it in my heart to forgive him then surely you can as well. You were his friend, Seifer before you were his rival. Remember that."

"No," he stated flatly. "I was never his friend."

"Are you calling me a liar, Seifer? I am a queen, in fourteen years no one has dared to accuse me that."

He chuckled half in good humor, half in ridicule.

"Go away, Quistis," he muttered weakly.

"No, I won't until you listen."

"It's too late," he said glaring at her. He stormed over and held her eye in his. For moment, there stood together staring, until she looked away in submission. He spoke again impatiently. "Can't you see that it's too late for me?"

"It might be too late for you to go back to Garden," she whispered softly, "but it's never too late for you to come back to me."

He took a few steps back and laughed weakly, as though he was trying to infuriate her by finding humor in her sincere words. He failed.

Seeing no other possible course of action, he left.

She stood there silently for a moment, her arms crossed as she hunched over in quiet contemplation. She was interrupted in a few moments when Squall walked in.

"I see you've succeeded," he muttered as he strolled over to the bed and lifted the covers off of Rinoa.

"I failed."She said, conveying to him her distaste.

"You did more than what anyone else ever could," he mumbled as he lifted Rinoa from her place in the sheets. He slapped her gently across the face, trying to wake her from her slumber.

"You would have said the same things if he would only listen," she said as she fiddled with her whip.

Squall picked Rinoa up. He gave upon his efforts to wake her. She stirred suddenly when he tried to lift her. She moaned lightly and twisted in his arms. Rinoa's eyes opened halfway as she realized that her cheek was resting peacefully against the breast of his jacket. That soft perfume of leather woke her from her nightmare and she sat up unbelievingly.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he eyed her disheveled hair and ripped frock.

She nodded.

Squall stood up and realized that the place where Quistis had been standing was empty. She was gone. It was perhaps for the best. He looked down at the fragile girl who was weakly maintaining a sitting position.

"Can you walk?" He asked as he reached for her hand.

She reached over to the bedpost for support and pulled herself into a standing position.

"I'm sorry, Squall." She apologized once more. "For everything."

"It doesn't matter," he responded as he wrapped a arm around her waist. "Let's go find the others. I think -"

"You don't want me to explain why I disappeared?"

"Only if you want to," he replied, seemingly nonchalant.

"Ultimecia's voice in my head forced me to leave, that was the first and foremost reason. But Squall, the shameful truth is that I can't stand being near Garden or SeeD. I just can't . . .do you understand?"

"SeeD's purpose is to fight the sorceress. I think it's understandable why it would make you uncomfortable."

She nodded and looked away.

"You and I, Squall, we were never meant to be and when this is all over, perhaps we both ought to return to our respective worlds."

"We'll decide that when this is over." He paused for a moment but then continued. "You shouldn't wander off like that. You are no longer as powerful as you were before. You could have gotten yourself killed."

She chuckled.

"Would you care if I did?" She asked playfully.

"Whatever," he replied unwillingly blushing slightly.


	19. chapter18

Chapter 18 - Heart of Valor

"I see them!" Selphie exclaimed as she jumped up and down with glee.

"Where?" Zell asked.

"There! There!" She said pointing.

Irvine lazily got up from where he was sitting as he followed his friends to meet Rinoa and Squall.

"Are okay?" Zell asked with concern as he watched her leaning weakly in the nook of Squall's arm.

"Have you finished the job?" Squall asked turning the conversation away.

"Yup, except one." Irvine said as he leaned his gun on his shoulder. "We can't find the servant who sealed our magic. He's hidden real good."

"Where's Quistis?" Squall suddenly interrupted.

Irvine shrugged.

"Wasn't she with you?"

"She left."

"Whoa!" Zell exclaimed. "She's wandering around the castle alone without her magic? That's like suicide."

"Shut up," Squall snapped.

"Let's just go find her," Rinoa implored gently as she attempted to take on the role of a peacemaker.

**oooooooo**

Quistis cautiously opened the large oak door. She poked her head in and glanced about to make sure there were no nasty surprises awaiting for her inside. It was empty. She slipped through the narrow gape between the slabs of oak and ambled in.

The room was beautiful. She gasped softly as she saw the walls decorated with marvelous renaissance paintings with Latin inscriptions. For a moment she forgot about the quest and all of its futility as she wandered from picture to picture. The first one was of a woman in scarlet, in fact the inscription said XERAMPELINAE, or "red clothes." Quistis began to wonder what a particular art collector the sorceress must be to point out that the woman was dressed in red. Who was the woman in the painting with the mouse face and sharp eyes. Was she the sorceress's mother? Sister? Daughter?

Quistis quieted the questions in her mind and wandered to the next work which was of a garden in the twilight. Flaming crimson flowers bloomed near the lush hedges in a perfect landscape of peace. Was this a place the sorceress had seen before or was it just here as a reminder of a place beyond the rough? It was so out of place here in this deary castle, this tiny room of magnificent artistic expression. Perhaps the sorceress kept this place as a monument to a lover lost.

_Ultimecia,_ Quistis wondered, _was there once a time when a lover whispered sweet nothings in your ear? Did a mother ever hold you in her embrace and sing a moonlit lullaby? What kind of life you must have led to wish complete devastation upon the world. How could you have so many exquisite paintings glorifying nature and man when you want to see it crumble in your palm?_

She was a mess of complexes, Quistis finally concluded. Maybe she too had a weakness, some hidden pain that could be used against her to save the world, to save the subjects of all these extravagant scenes.

Her eyes led her to the large work in the center of the room. She knew that she needed to be going, to find Squall but she could not leave. Her eyes were gorging themselves with beauty as they wandered from glorious landscape to magnificent spectacle.

There was only one inscription which she could not decipher. It was underneath the largest work in the room portraying a sunrise over lush emerald hills. It was the type of place found in one's collective unconscious that left a feeling of nostalgia to all those who saw it.

In the garden there slept a messenger. She smiled. What a strange name to give to such a brilliant work of art.

"Vividarium et Invtervigilium et Viator." She said out loud, playing the Greek on her tongue. That was when she heard a creak behind her, a sound of metal squeaking. She whirled around barely avoiding being grabbed around the neck. There was a huge metallic monster behind her, glittering in the finest gold.

She raised her whip and lashed it across its mid section. She realized with horror that her magic had not yet been returned to her. She jumped aside and swung her whip at it in rapid succession but she soon realized that physical attacks did little good. She turned to run when it grabbed her by the ankle by its massive hand and hurled her onto the unforgiving ground.

She rolled over in a daze as her opponent prepared to use its mega pulse canon. Desperately, she tried to drag herself back to her feet. What happened next was a blur. A figure in white suddenly ambushed the monster and with one virtuoso slash, cut through Trauma's left arm. Before it could raise it's other metallic limb, a gunblade went through that one too. Floating there, helpless, the machine shook furiously, about to explode. Sparks flew, electricity snaked through its naked circuits, and it finally gave in to eruption. Quistis covered her eyes trying to protect herself from the shards when he grabbed her and pulled her behind the stairwell. As the dust settled, he got up and began to walk away.

"Seifer, wait!" Quistis interrupted as she got to her feet. She ran after him and stepped in front of him forcing him to look at her.

"Thank you," she said.

"Your majesty," he said mockingly, "you shouldn't be wandering about the castle alone."

"You were following me," she said with a smile.

"No I was watching you. Ultimecia's orders, I'm supposed to keep an eye on you guys."

"Oh? Did she order you to save us from monsters as well?"

"Shut up," he muttered as he turned to leave.

"Don't I tell you not to say that to me?" she asked in anger as she glared at him.

"Oh really? What is the proper way to respond?" he asked.

"Yes, your majesty." She replied.

"I see." He said unbelievingly.

"You don't have to call me 'majesty' it's only when I am playing the role of the queen."

"Yes, your majesty." He said sarcastically.

"Stop it."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Join Squall's team." She ordered catching onto his pattern.

"In your dreams, your majesty."

She punched him playfully on the arm of his filthy trench coat.

"Please?" She asked. He looked so beautiful then, in the golden room. The dirt encrusted on the tails of his coat could not mar his glorious image. He was truly the white knight, the one which came riding on the noble steed over twilight's eye. Whereas Squall was a defiance of darkness Seifer was the embodiment of light. To love Squall for his beauty was an acquired taste but to love Seifer was natural to every woman's hot blooded heart.

The two of them stood amidst the antique scenery like two marble statues carved faced to face, standing beside each other for all the rest of time. Quistis felt his hand moving over her cheek, his rough work toughened fingers brushing her hair away from her royal face. She looked very young suddenly as she placed her hand onto his and clasped it gently.

"Be my knight, Seifer," she whispered as she closed her eyes.

He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. It was a just a sudden touch yet it sent a twinge of excitement into her lustful heart. She wanted nothing more than to embrace him, to hold him for the rest of her life and never let go. Fourteen years, it had been too long.

"Please?" She implored gently. He nodded then, slightly, so slight that only she could see it, here an inch away from his face. He kissed her suddenly and the solitude passed between them. Yet he pulled back suddenly and the moment was broken. Footsteps, coming from the hall. Quistis caught him by the arm before he could leave. She held him fast, fearful that he would disappear like a phantom should she let go.

"Stand by me," she implored. And finally with a look of surrender he nodded. He looked to the door with a true heart of valor because at this moment he was about to face what even the bravest hero crumbled against- admitting that he was wrong.

**oooooooo**

Following Squall into the bright room, Irvine saw him stop dead in his tracks. For a moment he raised his Exeter, fully expecting the young warrior to break into battle mode. So the last servant was here after all. However, a few steps in and Irvine realized that it was something else completely. There, standing under the golden light was Quistis and Seifer.

Glancing over at Squall's face, Irvine did not see surprise. Funny, his face appeared to radiate a number of subtle emotions but shock was not one of them. Squall walked forward toward the couple, leaving Rinoa where she was.

Watching Squall stroll toward Seifer and Quistis, Irvine almost felt a smile come to his lips. There was something so poignant about that picture, even if it would not last. Sometimes in life there are just some sights that defy artistic expression, that made being alive worthwhile.

"The hell .. " Zell muttered under his breath.

"Squall," Quistis whispered, in a pleading tone. For the first time in her reign the young queen was in a situation where she had to beg. Squall there casually, a foot away from Quistis and her paramour. His hand was placed almost arrogantly on his hip as he frowned at Seifer.

Smirk. Seifer delivered one of his renowned twisted grins. The two boys appeared to be engaging in unspoken contest to see who could appear the most cold and uncaring. The competition when on for a few seconds more before Squall spoke up and ended the combat of indifference.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Nothing, pansy boy," Seifer replied. "I was just-"

"Going to apologize for my mistakes," Quistis finished for him.

"No!" Zell suddenly exclaimed as he appeared before Squall's side. "Don't listen to him Squall. He's a liar!"

Squall ignored him and watched Seifer. They were talking again, silently. An unspoken truth passed between them as Squall's death formed a cloud of urgency between the two boys. Resolution if it should ever come must come now.

"Are you listening to me?" Zell inquired in fury.

"Shut up chicken wuss," Irvine called out as he too walked to Squall's side. "This isn't any of your business."

"What!" Zell asked. "He betrayed us. He tried to kill everyone in Garden. He's the sorceress's knight! Squall!" Zell threw his hands up in frustration.

"What's going on?" Selphie asked curiously. "Why aren't we fighting?"

"Squall, say something!" Zell ordered. "You are the leader, tell him what he deserves to hear!"

"Seifer, I accept your apology."

"What!" Zell exclaimed in disbelief. There was silence in the room as the spectators waited for Seifer to respond. Silence, willingly or unwillingly.

"I never asked you to pass me, Squall" Seifer responded suddenly. "I didn't want that favor from you. It's always guilt with you, everything with you is about guilt isn't it?"

"You passed the SeeD exam Seifer," Squall finally said in a low voice, "because of your own ability. It wasn't a favor on my part."

Silence.

Seifer's smirk was gone and was replaced by disbelief.

"No, you passed me out of guilt. You were trying to make up for the past. I despise you. I would never accept such a gift because you can't make up for fourteen years with one title!"

Squall was taken back by his words. He looked dazed as Seifer continued speaking.

"For fourteen years I suffered all of your abuses. You were always the one in need, sitting in the corner as though the world screwed you over. Well Squall, guess what? You are not the only one whose childhood ended that day in Edea's Orphanage."

"I know," Squall replied as shame touched his eyes. "I always knew that you were more than just a rival. It was never as simple as hate because through your granite exterior you were watching out for me."

Seifer paused, unable to believe what he had just heard. At his side he felt Quistis press up against him as though she was trying to pull him back from the black ocean of his own stubborn pride.

"I hate you," Seifer said finally. "I will always hate you."

Silence.

"But," Seifer continued before Squall was about to leave. "But it wasn't just hate. It was also friendship. Underneath all the bitter rage, you were always my friend."

Seifer turned his eyes away from him as he glanced once more at Quistis's pleased face.

"I've found a new sorceress to defend," he said softly. "Beside me now I have the core motivation of my heated spite returned to me. I'll go with you, Squall to fight Ultimecia. I've finally found something in this world still worth saving."

**oooooooo**

"So the old trinity is back together again," Irvine muttered to Selphie as the group paused near the back entrance of the clock tower. Morning had come softly over the dark castle pulling the blanket of darkness away from the sleeping world.

"You mean posse," Zell corrected bitterly. He had moved himself as far from Seifer as humanly possible.

"No," Irvine said with a wave of his hand. "I mean trinity. A posse is a group united for a common purpose. A trinity is a group of closely related people. It's not interchangeable."

"Whatever."

Selphie chuckled nervously. "You sound like Squall, Zell."

"At least one of us still does," Zell muttered.

"Don't be so bitter, Zell." Irvine said as he patted him roughly on the back.

"Rinoa agrees with me," Zell said as he looked to her. She was sitting silently close by, avoiding both Seifer and Quistis. "Yo Rinoa, don't you agree that Squall is acting weird?"

She sighed wearily as though she had finally come to a decision.

"Sometimes, Zell, right before you die, you want to make your peace with the past," she answered.

"What are you talking about?" Zell asked almost angrily.

Ignoring him, she stood up and left. She ambled toward Squall who was eyeing the clock tower in the middle of the walkway. She took his hand.

"There is something I need to tell you before we fight her," Rinoa muttered.

"What?" He asked placing his gentle eyes back on her. There was something in his face which she had not seen before - warmth, his eyes were smiling at her. She squeezed his hand and looked into his face without fear of his harsh glaze.

"The sorceress . ..Ultimecia, she knows about Winhill. She knows everything we know."

"How?" He asked.

Someone cleared his throat. Rinoa turned her eyes to see Seifer standing behind them with Quistis by his side. Rinoa felt herself recoil for a moment but she decided to hold her ground. She would not let him intimidate her.

"When Ultimecia possessed you in Lunatic Pandora she saw everything in your mind, Rinoa." Seifer said. "You two died on the Winhill Bluffs the last time you fought her."

"Last time?" Quistis asked in confusion.

"The last turn of the wheel of time," Seifer corrected. "Love courage friendship, you need all three to survive."

"This time things will be different," Rinoa said once more telling the comforting lies which she herself did not believe. "They had their story, this is ours. There will be no tragedy on the bluffs this time."

"Because he can follow you where no one else can go," Seifer said sarcastically as he glared at the sorceress.

She bit her lip and was silent.

"We'll meet in the orphanage," Quistis said, "just like before. We'll all meet there. Forget about Winhill, Squall."

Squall shrugged as he looked down the walkway to the giant oak door in the distance. Ultimecia was waiting. His days were already numbered and the last seconds were ticking away.

"It's time to finish it." Squall said quietly.

Home

Chapter 19


	20. chapter19

Chapter 19 - The Last Revelation

"SeeD," the words came like a hiss from the elevated throne. "SeeD .. SeeD" she continued, casting the words to the mid day sky. An intricate design of golden coils decorated her throne, the room and her face. They were all together in monstrous unison, in unnatural splendor.

She sat up and smiled wearily at the congregation. She was horrific to the sight in a flaming red dress graced by raven feathers and tentacles.

For Rinoa it was then that the realization finally hit home.

Ultimecia was the one they were destined to destroy. Rinoa had not faced the truth until now but finally there was no avoiding it anymore. It was her, not Quistis, not a misunderstanding, not a mistake. The woman who had taken her in so kindly and held her in motherly embrace . . was a demon.

"So you are the SeeD destined to destroy me," Ultimecia said drowsily. She was a mass of contradictions. Whereas her attire suggested flamboyancy her face and voice suggested the unwillingness of one forced to play a role which no longer fit.

"Squall Leonhart," she continued. "Squall Loire, one and the same. Destined to destroy the villainous sorceress with my Rinoa by his side."

She stood up then and nodded.

"I see. So finally the mist over Winhill has kleared and we see each other in our respektive roles."

"Ultimecia," Squall began. "There are no roles, there is no destiny. You have taken over the world because you _chose_ to not because you were forced to."

She laughed, breaking into a series of helpless giggling fits.

"There is no hope for me, SeeD . ..Squall. Choice is an illusion. I will fight for time kompression even though I know I am destined to fail."

"That too is your choice, yours alone," Squall replied.

That irritated her. Her wings flared out from behind her back and she levitated into air.

"I will exterminate your friends first. Griever! Attakk." She called as she cast a silver orb into the ground. The floor cracked open. Underneath Rinoa and Squall the island of rock lifted high into the sky where a black lion appeared. A fiery mane surrounded his head as he bobbed in mid air, half man half beast.

"The ultimate guardian force," Rinoa whispered in awe as she struggled to get up from her knees. She saw Squall boldly draw his gunblade beside her. He was fearless. With his free hand he pulled her to her feet.

"Come sorceress Rinoa, hold your place here beside me."

**oooooooo**

Ultimecia turned back to the remaining SeeDs and chuckled.

"Kurse all SeeDs. Swarming like lokusts akross generations. You disgust me."

"Shut up," Irvine ordered as he pointed his Exeter her way and began to riddle her with bullets. Yet the metal had no effect upon her as they dissolved into her shield like raindrops into the ocean. From behind the SeeDs, Quistis was bending over the edge of the hole where she helped Seifer back onto steady ground.

Ultimecia stepped forward, purposely scaring the wits out of the three teenagers as she flaunted the futility of their efforts.

"Your vain krusade ends here, SeeDs."

With one hand she cast hell's judgement on the three. The ground beneath them glowed a bright yellow and drained the life energy from the warriors. She smirked and aimed to cast holy on Selphie when Irvine shoved her out of the way. He collapsed on the floor, unconscious.

"No!" Selphie gasped as she bent over him, her happy go lucky manner finally pierced through.

"The price for your meddling is death beyond death," she proclaimed sadistically.

"Shut up bitch," the young queen ordered as the situation finally got so bad that it could drive her to curse.

"Ah, your majesty," Ultimecia said in glee. "I've been waiting for this moment."

Quistis twisted her face into a frown as she raised her preparing to cast the strongest Ultima spell she had ever. However before she could send the green explosion into Ultimecia, a ring of yellow balls appeared beside her. They plummeted towards the queen and shot her squarely in the chest.

"Apokalypse," Ultimecia said. "The strongest spell of all. Adel's puny power is no match for mine!"

"Quistis!" Seifer swore in fury as she collapsed unconscious at his feet. He turned his burning eyes to Ultimecia and attacked without mercy.

She laughed as the shield in front of her would not be pierced by Seifer's gunblade.

"My knight, my traitorous useless knight."

Seifer stepped back in rage and frustration.

**oooooooo**

"Squall!" Rinoa yelled as she caught her shooting star right her right hand. "Watch out for his claws!"

Squall ducked as Griever's long nails careened toward his face. He shifted his grip on the gunblade and charged at the lion's mid section. Slashing in a cross he ripped the monster's black flesh open in a gaping wound.

"Raagh!" The mass of muscle roared and attacked Squall with his wild paws. Artfully, Squall ducked the thing's blows, jumping back with not so much as a scratch.

"Stand back Rinoa," he ordered as a beam of brilliant light appeared at the tip of his blade. The entire metallic surface of the ancient weapon lit up in a fiery display as he shoved the thing into Griever's belly. The lion moaned in horrific pain as he batted his paw at Squall, trying to throw the young man off the side of the cliff. Squall ducked past the first blow but the second hit him squarely in the center of his chest. It sent him flying into Rinoa. She tried her best to catch him but in the process lost her own footing on the edge of the rocky cliff.

The two teens fell over the elevated island as Griever drew his last breath and died.

**oooooooo**

"Dammit!" Zell yelled as he saw Squall colliding into Rinoa. "They're going to die!"

Ultimecia chuckled under her breath.

The three teens were silent for a moment as they watched the couple plummet to the ground. However, no collision occurred. Brilliant snow colored wings emerged from Rinoa's back three quarters of the way down, just in time for them to hit bottom with only a few minor scratches.

Occupied with the sight, Zell did not see Ultimecia hurl a fire spell upon him. He collapsed beside Selphie's still form as he too passed away.

"Dammit," Quistis whispered as she managed to get onto her knees. "Dammit."

Seifer stood beside her, learning from Zell's misfortune to keep an eye on the devious witch.

"Ah, down to four now." Ultimecia chuckled. "So my death is upon us and yours as well."

Squall walked up to Seifer's side with Rinoa trailing behind, limping slightly. Her wings receded into her back as she had never known that she was capable of extending them before. Yet she scolded herself for her ignorance. Ultimecia's raven wings obviously implied that she had them too having inherited Ultimecia's power. But it no longer mattered, the end was upon them one way or the other.

Quistis got back onto her feet beside Seifer. So the picture was complete. Two sorceresses, two knights, in perfect symmetry. They were like a mirror image of each other, darkness and light, innocence and despair, cynicisms and hope.

Twin gunblades were drawn against her. Ultimecia's eyes flared the brightest yellow so that they appeared white. She raised her hand to cast the strongest spell in all of existence but before she could cast it, her eyes suddenly went black. The inferno of light above her hand was snuffed out. Blood came from her lips as she realized suddenly that she had been shot in her unprotected back. She turned to see Selphie standing with Irvine's gun in her hand.

"I killed you," Ultimecia whispered.

"No," Selphie said. "You were careless."

"No," Ultimecia whispered. "Squall Leonhart! I was to be defeated by Squall Leonhart! How kould this be?"

Selphie smiled sadly. "You're a psycho."

"No!" Ultimecia said. "No no no!" she fell to her knees and disappeared in a cloud of purple. Squall turned to grab Rinoa's hand but she was gone. The throne room vanished. The entire world was as white as the feathers of Rinoa's wings. White sky and sea as far as the eye could see.

He heard someone calling out to him.

"Is it over?" A voice asked, Irvine's voice. "Let's go back to our time!"

Another voice pierced the blank landscape, Quistis.

"Squall? Seifer? Are you here?"

"Shut up. Just go to where we agreed!" Seifer yelled in a irritated fashion.

Squall did not reply as he remembered Winhill. However, the scenery changed, it was not Winhill, it was the orphanage. Standing there he could not tell if it was illusion or reality. The columns were lying limp on the ground as solid as real rock was. Winhill. He needed to get to Winhill but he couldn't . . .his friends have brought him here.

"Squall!" Someone yelled in back of him. He turned. Rinoa?

No, it was Quistis, with Seifer at her side.

"You came! Like you agreed. I thought you were going somewhere else."

"Yes I was," he replied in confusion as he realized something suddenly in terror. "Rinoa? Is she here?"

Seifer shrugged. "No."

"Dammit!" Squall cursed suddenly.

"Guys!" Selphie yelled in the distance with Irvine beside her. "Tee hee! We are all here! At the orphanage! Go Love Courage and Friendship!"

Squall turned away but Quistis grabbed his arm.

"Listen Squall, maybe only one of you could survive. This time, this turn of the wheel, be glad that fate has not killed both of you!"

He glared at her with flaming hatred.

"No!" He roared suddenly as he drew back. "No."

"Come to think of it," Irvine added mournfully. "She's not really one of us. Not the orphanage gang. There is nothing connecting her to us."

Squall took a step back and drove everyone into silence when a tear appeared out of the corner of his eye. Never did they think they would live to see the day when Squall would cry. Never. Yet the tear traced a path on his dark cheek, making its way down to his chin. He grew fainter suddenly as though he was dissolving into air. Transparent, mist like.

"No! Squall!" Quistis yelled as she jerked toward him. Seifer grabbed her but she broke free. Reaching out to grab his arm, she caught only a handful of thin air.

"No Squall," Quistis muttered through her tears. "Come back, please come back."

**oooooooo**

"Squall?" Rinoa yelled as she ran through the dark tunnel. "Squall where are you!" She ran and ran in the endless night, in space. "Squall! Answer me!" _Please don't leave me here, drifting onto death, I can't make it back alone._

She squeezed her eyes shut and bolted through the darkness. Suddenly she tripped over something. A rock? She opened her eyes and realized that she was on a desert of sorts. The ground was sunbaked and chipped although there was no sun in the sky. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and continued to walk.

"Squall?" She called out. Nothing.

She looked down then at the double rings at her throat. Griever was watching her, he looked like he was smiling, mocking her. She cupped her hand over the rings and tried to remember. But all she could think of was of the look in his eyes as he died in Winhill.

_I failed you. I'm sorry._

Her face twisted as she began to cry. Perhaps Ultimecia was right, every turn of the wheel of time ended the same.

_A sorceress you shall be when he meets you, a sorceress forever onto death. Will he love you now?_

Her mind drifted back to the dance. He met a sorceress there, a sorceress who betrayed him time and time again. A sorceress who placed upon him the burden of a promise to love her. Love can only be given not demanded. She had forced him out of guilt, of obligation to love her. And now it was so clear never before had it been so crystal clear.

_Is it a happy story?_

_No, but maybe one day it could be._

Daddy. He was wrong. Loire was not her destiny. Her destiny was death. Well she would be with her father soon, so soon. Rinoa looked up then and saw a majestic sight before her eyes. A meadow was before her. In the middle of the desert there was a wall, a doorway. All she had to do was step through it.

She walked closer to the other world. With one hand she reached over and touched the invisible divide. The air rippled like wall of buoyant water. She looked through the strange partition and saw her father carrying a baby in his arms as he strolled down the bluffs of Winhill. He was humming a lullaby under his breath.

Rinoa smiled and stepped through the wall. She did not look back until she was halfway across the bluff. Then she realized that the desert was gone, there was not a trace of it left.

She walked closer but that was when she saw a purple cloud appear. A demonic fog that gave way to a sorceress. Ultimecia. Her father tried to shove the witch back as she dug her nails into the infant girl.

"Get away from her witch!" He screamed but choked on his words as he suddenly grabbed his chest in pain.

Rinoa wrapped her fingers tightly around her Shooting Star and ran. She shoved Ultimecia back in rage.

"It was you!" She screamed. "You killed my father!"

Ultimecia grew back clenching her mid section. She was bleeding all over the grass. Black blood. Ultimecia smiled in mockery.

"Once again he fails to show up, Rinoa." She said gesturing to the horizon.

"I don't need him," Rinoa yelled as she lifted her shooting star. "I'm not the weak child I was in the last time. I won't let you win."

Ultimecia laughed.

"With your undying faith in him, I'm amazed that you are still standing," she stated sarcastically.

Rinoa pressed the sharp edge of her weapon to Ultimecia's throat.

"Move and I'll cut your damned head off."

"Child," Ultimecia said quietly. "His love for you was based on one promise. One promise not to doubt love. You never allowed him to choose for himself if he wanted to love you. You forced him under the burden of your death to always love you."

"No," Rinoa whispered as something behind Ultimecia caught her eye. "That's not true."

"I don't see anyone here, waiting for you. That's the promise he made to you, the one which he cannot keep because he doesn't love you sorceress. He loves the mortal that you were fifteen years ago!"

Rinoa took a step back and nodded sadly.

"You're wrong Ultimecia. She never made him promise to love me. She made him promise never to doubt my love _for him_. The choice was always and forever, his alone!"

With that Rinoa shoved herself into Ultimecia and pushed her back three feet, straight into Squall's gunblade.

Ultimecia stared in shock as she realized that she had been impaled by the dark knight standing behind her. In a smooth motion, Squall pulled his blade back out and she collapsed to the ground.

She looked up, throwing back the tentacles of her crown and glared at him.

" I was right," She proclaimed in submission as blood came in rivers from her lips. Her face twisted in pain as she raced towards death. "It was you."

Disregarding all those around her, Rinoa bent down beside Ultimecia and pulled the witch onto her lap.

"Child" the sorceress suddenly whispered as she reached for Rinoa's hand.

"I'm sorry," Rinoa said as she pressed her hand to Ultimecia's bloody wound. "Sometimes there are things in life which we must do no matter how much we wish that we didn't have to."

"I understand," Ultimecia said drawing her final breaths. " because, my child, I committed the same sin as yourself."

Wincing in pain, Ultimecia's hand began to loosen. Her eyes relaxed slowly. Her fearsome purple lips opened once more and her voice came in a sigh. "Because I too fell in love with a mortal .. . I fell in love with you."

Rinoa choked on her sorrow as she finally understood everything. Oh how cruel destiny was, to place them in these roles. She leaned over the sorceress and whispered into her ear.

"Give me your power, Ultimecia. Pass it onto me."

As the last breath went from Ultimecia's body Rinoa felt the power rushing into her, making her a sorceress a second time. It came in a burning river, filling her with pain and ecstacy. The sorceress's body turned into mist. The black blood on the Winhill grass, Rinoa's hands, on Squall's blade, vanished into the fog that now hung over the meadow.

She felt his arms around her suddenly as he hugged her to him. She cried into his shoulder because she was no longer alone, because he had come for her, because her mother was dead. Ultimecia was evil and she deserved to die but sometimes the mortal heart can't separate between right and wrong the way the mind was able to. Although the mind controlled the hands which drove the sorceress to her death, it could not stop the tears that flowed from her eyes.

"There are some people here who you might want to see," Squall whispered into her ear as he held her. He understood too well how she felt for no one on the planet knew better than he, what it meant to lose a mother. She wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand and turned around to see her parents before her.

"Rinoa?" Her mother asked curiously. Rinoa nodded her head vigorously as she threw herself upon Julia. Squall took a few steps back as he saw Caraway eyeing him suspiciously but to his surprise, the general nodded approvingly.

"Good job son."

He was not given an opportunity for surprised for someone caught him by the arm.

"Squall?" She asked. "Is that really you?" Raine, she was standing behind him, alive again.

"Yes mother," he answered, "it's me." He choked up suddenly, no he was not about to cry twice in one day. That would defy the laws of the universe. But he did. He held his mother in his arms and knew that now her screams in the night would die away. For the first time in fourteen years there would be blissful silence because finally he would be able to bid her farewell.

"You were right," Rinoa said to her father as she hugged him as well. "There was still hope for me."

"I don't understand." He told her with confusion.

"It's okay," Rinoa replied as she held the man by his wrist. "It's better if you don't. If you never do."

He nodded. "I'll take your word for it, angel."

It was then that Rinoa caught sight of a figure in the mist. She left her parents and walked over to the little boy who was standing there quietly watching his mother Raine hug the strange man. Rinoa bent down beside him.

"Squall," she said as she stoked his fuzzy brown hair. "I want you to make a promise to me."

He cast his large blue eyes upon her and watched her curiously.

"Will you promise to keep yourself from harm? To protect your innocence as well as mine. Don't ever let childhood pass away."

He looked at her blankly and nodded.

She chuckled. "You didn't understand a word I said did you?"

"You're pretty," he told her and smiled.

She gave into laugher. She stumbled to her feet and saw the older Squall standing beside her, watching.

"Are you done traumatizing me?" he asked mockingly.

She shrugged. "Look, he smiled, I think I distinctly remember you saying something about a smile being connected to a kiss."

"Go ahead, ask him to kiss you."

She punched him playfully and growled.

"Meanie."

Squall turned his joyful eyes to Raine once more. In a way, she knew, watching him, that this would be only time she was ever to see him grown and happy. Somehow, by a twist of fate, time had allowed her this one glance of the future, to see her little boy as a man. One day she will have to give him away in the hope that he may live. However that too was forgotten now as she held him in her arms. Seeing her bittersweet tears, Squall felt his own eyes begin to grow teary. Raine smiled her child and reached up to cup his face with one hand.

"Be still, love, don't cry."

"Mother, I can't stay."

"I know," she answered stroking his tears away with her thumb. "I know you need to go now."

"Time compression. .."

"I understand," Raine responded, disguising her reluctance to allow him out of her arms. "Go now, go home safely."

Raine drew herself away from him. She watched him turn to the young girl who stood behind him, patiently waiting for him to finish his farewell. Raine knew, somehow, at that moment that he would be okay, her Squall, that girl would take care of him. With a sudden sense of peace as she had not felt for a long time, Raine raised her right hand and waved goodbye.

Nodding to his mother in obedient understanding, Squall caught Rinoa's arm and led her back a few steps back. Suddenly, in act of impulse, he caught her by the waist, pulled her close, and kissed her. As the two lovers held each other in a tender embrace, the past vanished. The sky above opened up, the mist parted and sunshine broke through the clouds covering the meadow in gold. The gentle spring breeze brushed a torrent of flower petals and feathers into the air and the perfume of honeysuckle and jasmine wafted across the heavenly paradise.

When Rinoa drew back from Squall's embrace she realized that through his tears, he was smiling.

Home

Chapter 20


	21. chapter20

Chapter 20 - Serenade

"I knew that I would find you here," Seifer said squinting in the sunshine. He brazenly walked onto the dock kicking their cooler which was empty because they had caught no fish.

"We thought you were a goner, ya know." Raijin began before he caught sight of a mysterious woman standing behind Seifer. She wore a broad straw hat and sunglasses as though she was trying to hid her features from sight.

"That's my new sugar mama," Seifer replied smirking. "Hey your majesty, come over here and meet my posse."

She scowled as she removed her hat and her glasses, seeing no danger here among his friends.

"Hello." she said simply as Raijin smiled brightly back at her. Fujin said nothing. Raijin nudged Seifer.

"I thought you were through with falling in love after Rinoa."

Seifer chuckled happily as he wrapped his arms around Quistis and pulled her close.

"Well, I think I'll make an exception for the queen of Esthar."

"QUEEN!" Raijin asked as he backed away. Unfortunately he backed too far and fell off the edge of the pier.

"Are you okay?" Quistis asked as she took a step toward the large man. She was about to reach down to help him up when Seifer grabbed her.

"Naw don't bother. He does this all the time. Saves bath water."

'Oh," Quistis said as she snickered.

"Yeah," Raijin said, glad that he had drawn a smile out of the queen. "This is great fun. Fujin, come, join me." Fujin scowled viciously as Raijin tried to pull her into the water. She kicked him on roughly his shoulder which put an end to his efforts.

Quistis laughed. "I like them already."

"Hey idiot," Seifer said as he glanced down at Raijin. "How would you like a new job working for the queen?"

"Whoa." Raijin said with a look of shock on his face, "Fujin did you hear that?"

Fujin grumbled under her breath and looked away.

"You've really hit it big, Seifer." Raijin said to his old friend.

"I want something in return, of course," Quistis said smiling at the two of them. "I want to join your posse."

Seifer chuckled.

"A queen in the posse?" Raijin asked incredulous.

"Well, I can pretend that I'm not queen when I'm with you," Quistis offered.

"No, no!" Raijin said a broad smile on his face. "Welcome aboard your majesty."

Quistis laughed heartily as she suddenly caught sight of something flying over them. The Ragnarok. She turned her face to the sky and smiled. He was here.

Reaching over, she grabbed Seifer's hand.

"Come on, we need to go."

"Aw, already?" Raijin asked.

"We'll be back," Quistis said. "You'll see. I'll be stuck to your buddy Seifer like glue from now on."

"Oh no, whatever shall I do," Seifer asked mockingly as he allowed himself to be dragged away by Quistis.

**oooooooo**

Quistis and Seifer met Squall as he stepped from the landing zone next to the Mayor's house.

"Squall," Quistis said, glad to finally see him in person. She reached over and hugged him. "I'm so glad that you are alright."

"Where's your lady?" Seifer asked smirking.

Squall shrugged. "She's somewhere safe, far from anyone who would recognize her as a sorceress."

"Are you going back to that safe place too, pansy boy?" Seifer asked in good humor.

"Yes." Squall replied.

Seifer chuckled and hugged Quistis to his side.

"I'm gonna be in Esthar in case you ever have an incredible urge to spar with someone."

"Whatever," Squall replied and folded his arms.

"I'll take it easy on you next time. I didn't know that you scarred so easily, baby face."

Squall waved his hand nonchalantly at Seifer. "If you ever build another boat out of twigs and junk, I'll still take you up on that offer of being first mate."

Seifer nodded. "It's a deal." With that Seifer extended his hand in a gesture of amity. Slightly surprised, Squall reached over and took his hand. The two men shook on their deal, on fourteen years of strife. Finally Seifer drew back and smirked happily.

"Good luck with your lady, Squall. May she drive you to an early grave."

"Whatever." Squall replied in a tone of good humor.

Chuckling, Seifer turned and left to rejoin Raijin and Fujin.

"We're leaving soon," Quistis said quietly to Squall. "You know where to find me. This place isn't good for Seifer or for myself. I've never been comfortable around SeeDs," she admitted.

"I know." Squall replied."I'm here to see Ellone," he told Quistis quietly.

"Squall," Quistis said. "I guess in the end I realized that not all evil has to be destroyed through force. I think when I saw Seifer and what he had become something snapped in me and I came to understand how you could love Rinoa despite her faults."

"So my point is," she continued. "I won't seek out your sister or Rinoa anymore. I'll leave them to your hands because I trust you and your judgement. In the end, I think you were right all along. I may be queen now but to you and Seifer I'll always be Quistis. I promise. Never hesitate before coming to me because I am still .. your sister."

Squall nodded. He hugged her once more before he turned to leave. She caught his arm suddenly.

"One day, we need to play triple triad again." She said with a smile. "You won't get lucky twice in row."

"Yeah," he answered quietly. "I'm sure that Gilgamesh card won't be in my possession for much longer."

**oooooooo**

He found Ellone by the ocean. Her shawl was ballooning in the wind as she brushed her hair away from the soft expression on her face.

"I did some thinking while you were gone, Squall," she told him quietly. "I thought about my life and how much of a burden I am to you."

"Don't say that," he told her as he leaned up against the rail. "You know that's not true."

"But it is," she continued, "I left you for the white SeeD ship while you were a child. I thought that I could come back anytime and you would want to see me. I realize now that you could only wait so long."

"Did you really think that I hated you for what happened to Quistis?" He asked her curiously, referring to her comment in Lunatic Pandora.

"Quistis was always what you were searching for Squall, even if it was not the person than it was the symbol. She was the childhood you could never return to. For a while I thought that if you were with her you would return to the warm caring child you once were but then I realized that that too was wrong."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

She pulled her shawl tighter around her narrow shoulders and looked over the ocean with a forlorn expression.

"I realized that once childhood was lost it could never be returned. Even if you had Quistis you could never be with her the way you had before. You and Rinoa, although you two are as different as good and evil, you are in fact the same inside. I didn't see that until Winhill, until it was too late."

He nodded at her but said nothing in response.

"I'm going back to white SeeD, Squall." She said. "You won't need to take care of me anymore. Don't object to it. You've done enough. Go home to Rinoa and she'll help you take back all the things I've taken away from you."

"Ellone, what I said to you in Lunatic Pandora I didn't say just because I knew that I was going to die."

"Liar," she said with a quiet smile. "Liar."

**oooooooo**

"The sorceress Rinoa is dead," the queen informed her officials. She sat on her throne dressed in velvet and gold. Her face was drawn and emotionless as she gave her orders to willing followers. "She is no longer a threat to Esthar."

"What about Ellone, your majesty?" a elderly official asked.

"Ellone is no threat to us as long as there are no sorceress seeking to use her for dark purposes."

"But your majesty wouldn't it be wiser to eliminate that threat once and for all?"

The queen paused, allowing silence to fill the chamber. When she spoke next it was in a tone of certainty.

"No, Ellone is an innocent. We are here to destroy sorceresses, not innocents. There will be no further discussion on the topic."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Dismissed." She said as she slowly got up from her throne. Thrusting her cape back in a dramatic gesture, she walked out of the throne room with two attendants following eagerly.

"Your majesty, there is a young man here to see you," Daniel said, keeping his eyes down, as he pointed to the reception room.

Quistis motioned for them to leave her as she walked into the room alone. Seifer was standing there, looking out the window the way he had the last time she met him in this room beside the sorceress Edea.

"You look . .regal." He muttered with a uncomfortable look on his face. She walked over to him, taking small steps the way she was used to in this attire.

"Should I bow or something?" he asked curiously.

"No." She responded standing unmoving beside him. "Just come tonight, where we agreed. I'll meet you there."

**oooooooo**

"Are you sure you want to hear this Irvine?" Cid asked the gunman carefully as they stood in his office. Irvine pretended to be nonchalant but he could tell by the look on Cid's face that the news was not good.

"Yeah," Irvine said. "C'mon, tell me, I can handle it."

"She's not Selphie." Cid said as he picked up a stack of files and placed them before Irvine. "The girl you knew was adopted by a couple in Timber, she never entered Garden. Selphie Tilmitt spent her life in Trabia. She was never in our Orphanage."

Irvine nodded. He swatted the papers aside. There was no need for him to read those.

"I understand." Irvine stood up to leave when Cid caught him by arm.

"I'm sorry. I know that you loved Selphie."

"Yeah," Irvine whispered as he tried his best to smile. "I did, didn't I?"

Irvine broke away from Cid and left the room. He slammed his fist into a wall as soon as he was out of range and stood still. What a fool he had been all along, trying to force her to remember a past which wasn't even hers.

"Irvine?" Someone asked behind him.

Irvine turned to see her standing there.

"Are you okay?" Selphie asked as she danced around him.

"Yeah," he said. "Perfect."

"You look upset. You know I think I'm starting to remember something about our lullaby."

"No," he said as he placed his hand on her. "Don't worry about it."

"Don't give up on me Irvy!" she said suddenly distressed.

By the look on her face he couldn't help but laugh. Yet a realization came to him suddenly he loved her too, this Selphie. Perhaps once upon a time he had loved the other Selphie with all the affection and loyalty a child was capable of giving. Now however, he loved this girl in front of him, Selphie Tilmitt, just as much.

Ever since he had rejoined the orphanage group he had been trying to bring back the past. When Squall, Seifer, and Quistis stood together, it brought such joy to his heart because for a moment the days bygone were still here. He just wanted those things back but now he realized that those days could never come again.

Life was like a river flowing swift and sure. However, just like a river, it was impossible to step in the same water twice. Home was in that river, once he left it, can never return. He could never go back to the same home twice. Squall, Seifer, Quistis, back together but never the same. And he had changed as well, standing here beside Selphie Tilmitt, he knew that it was finally time to let the past go. He can't catch a handful of water and force it stay. All he could do was sit back and admire the ever changing stream.

"Forget about the lullaby, Selphie my dear." Irvine whispered as he hugged her. "It's all in the past."

"I thought the past was the only thing that made you feel whole," Selphie remarked.

"Yes," Irvine said, "but now you do. I don't need the past anymore."

**oooooooo**

Seifer walked into the darkened bar searching for Quistis. The place was crammed wall to wall, with boisterous elders, quiet onlookers and glitzy dancers slowly moving about the floor. He wandered through the place looking. How was he supposed to find her in this sea of human flesh?

"Are you lost?" Someone asked.

"I'm looking for a girl," Seifer responded.

"Who?" The man asked.

"The queen."

"Sssssh!" the man scolded him. "No one calls her that around here. Don't let anyone catch you saying that."

"Yeah yeah," Seifer responded nonchalantly as he made a mental note to piss off these Estharians by calling her queen.

"Over there," the man pointed at the table to the side. "She always sits there, alone."

Seifer followed the man's hand as he saw Quistis in her pink dress sitting there sipping a small cup of tea. She laughed as a man beside her whispered a joke into her ear. Someone tried to coax her into dancing but she shook her head.

"Next time," she promised.

Seifer swaggered over to her and took a seat beside her, shocking the best of them. Whoever had the guts to take a seat at the queen's table without permission was bound to find his head in a social guillotine.

"Do you often mingle with your subjects this way?" He asked.

"I am not the queen when I am out of my robes, Seifer. I am just a girl. A girl who has fallen in love with a boy."

"Oh and what does the sorceress think of this new love?"

"The sorceress loves her knight," Quistis replied gently. "The queen loves the valiant hero and the damsel loves her childhood friend. Do you think they will have the one they want? Or is it too much to hope for?"

"I don't know," Seifer replied. "It looks like they may all be disappointed unless. . "

"What?"

"Unless this beautiful lady before me agrees to give me one dance."

She laughed softly with her crimson cheeks flushing with flattery.

"Would you dance with me tonight?" He asked her reaching over to take her hand.

"Yes, Seifer," she said "tonight and every night hereafter."

Knowingly, he led her onto the dance floor. He pulled her close to his chest on the crowded floor. In quiet understanding, the respective Estharians subtly made way for the queen. Quistis placed her head on his shoulder and allowed her loose hair to flow down his broad shoulder in a waterfall of gold. He held her tightly and whispered some sweet words into her ear, the way lovers were always meant to.

To the side numerous onlookers watched with jealousy. Who was this mysterious young man who managed to charm a dance out of the ever reluctant queen? And she was holding him so close as though she had waited all her life for this one dance. He must have been a general, a god or a prince. The answer to their questions was of course was more simple than one would think.

He was a future king.

**oooooooo**

"Would you like some hot dogs Zell?" Antha asked as she placed a tray before him.

"Whoa!" He exclaimed. "Thanks." Zell dug in and began to gobble up the food. However he stopped suddenly as he looked at her sad eyes.

"Antha. I think I love you," he told her quietly.

"Hey!" Someone yelled in the distance. "Smile and wave!"

Turning, Zell and Antha saw Irvine with a camcorder pointed to them.

"Aaaw! They look so cute," Irvine exclaimed.

"Shut up!" Zell yelled as he threw a hot dog at Irvine.

Irvine laughed and pointed the camcorder away at Edea who standing happily beside Cid. She nodded and waved with Cid's arm firmly around her shoulder.

"Hey kids, help yourselves to the food," Cid said gesturing to the tables laden with piles of refreshments. "If you don't hurry up and finish it the lunchroom will be serving leftovers for months."

"The lunchroom food always tastes like leftovers," Zell complained.

Cid smiled as Xu walked up to him. With his free arm he wrapped it around Xu and patted her proudly on the shoulder. Irvine's camcorder didn't catch it as Selphie pointed to the balcony. Irvine quickly followed her lead as he saw the battery running out.

But it didn't matter.

Standing there he realized something.

The balcony was empty.

**oooooooo**

Across an ocean, over a continent the moon hung large and pristine in the glittering darkness. Fireflies twinkled over the peaceful grassland in a silent dance for the two visitors. A boy and a girl, no longer children, not yet adults, they were suspended in the void in between. However, finally in this undefined state of existence, they had found a strange serenity.

"I knew I would find you here," Squall said tenderly as he approached her.

Rinoa turned smiling and pointed up at the sky. He looked up and saw a shooting star streak across the darkness.

He took her hand suddenly, caught her cold fingers in his own. He wore no gloves tonight because there no longer a need to place a barrier of leather between his own hand and hers. In a moment of impulse, he slide a band of silver over her ring finger.

She stared speechless.

"Why?" she asked with tears coming to her eyes.

"Would you have it any other way?" he asked, slightly embarrassed.

"I don't deserve this," she muttered. "Not me."

"Will you wear it or not?" he asked cutting to the point.

"I don't know." she replied, staring at her finger.

"Rinoa, love courage and friendship were all needed for us to survive. It was not just courage that brought me to you, not just friendship."

She giggled suddenly.

"If that's the closest you will ever coming to telling me that you love me, I am satisfied."

"Then tell me you will wear that ring."

Slowly she nodded.

"I'll wear this ring not just for this timeline but every one hereafter. Every turn of the wheel of time, I'll always keep this ring on my finger, in my heart."

Smiling, he pulled her close and held her under the midnight moon. Finally, in complete understanding, she reached up and kissed him.

**oooooooo**

And now my dear reader, we shall leave them there on the Winhill bluffs. Slowly we will retreat with only the memory of what we have seen. This is the end of my journey and I can only hope that you will leave as satisfied as I am because in the world of SeeDs and sorceresses, one can only see so much and still live to share the tale. I'm afraid that if I were to wander over once more I may not be so lucky as to return. Therefore, even though Squall and Rinoa and their friends will continue on with their lives, for us the story has come to an end.

The End

Kate Lorraine

11:15 am.

February 22, 2000


End file.
